This NC Medicaid Bulletin provides an overview of COVID-19 rate increases applicable to SNFs and Hospice providers; Hospice provider rate increase from 95% to 100% of Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) reimbursement rates for room and board services provided in a SNF; and billing guidelines for Hospice services provided in a SNF designated as a “COVID-19 Outbreak” or “COVID-19 Response” site.
Topics Related to Hospice Providers
NC Medicaid has implemented COVID-19 rate increase functionality to reimburse hospice care provided in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) designated as a “SNF COVID-Outbreak site” or “SNF COVID-Response site” in a ratio consistent with how hospice care is reimbursed in all other SNFs.
On March 30, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an amendment of 42 CFR 440.70 that included two policy changes that affect hospice services for Medicaid during the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective March 30, 2020, NC Medicaid is adjusting hospice requirements currently in Clinical Coverage Policy 3D, Hospice Services to align with these recent CMS regulatory changes.
NOTE: SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #79 has been replaced in its entirety by SPECIAL BULLETIN COVID-19 #103. This Bulletin clarifies that skilled nursing facilities (SNF) are eligible originating sites for telemedicine visits and enables such facilities to bill for a facility fee when a beneficiary located in a SNF receives care via telemedicine from an eligible remote provider.
The following new or amended clinical coverage policies are available on the NC Medicaid Clinical Coverage Policies web page.
Due to the implementation of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) FY 2016 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements Final Rule, NC Medicaid made policy and system changes to allow for the use of two-tier hospice fee schedules effective Jan. 1, 2016.
Clinical review is not required for North Carolina Medicaid and NC Health Choice hospice services until after the completion of the first and second 90-day benefit period.
Effective Jan. 15, 2018, updates to Clinical Coverage Policy 3D, Hospice Services, are approved. The amended policy is posted to the North Carolina Medicaid website.
With each prior approval (PA) entry beginning with the third and subsequent benefit periods, providers must fax a copy of the Approval Status Inquiry Form, or the NCTracks Web Submitted Request for Hospice Prior Approval Confirmation Page, to DMA at 919-715-9025. DMA requests that providers include their name and e-mail address on the above forms.