COVID-19 Update: Hospitals Receive Extension to Medicare GME Affiliation Agreements
May 25, 2021 On Monday, May 24, 2021, CMS updated its COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers to include yet another extension due to the Public Health Emergency (PHE). CMS has provided flexibility to teaching hospitals and has stated that it is extending the submission deadline for both new Medicare GME affiliation agreements and amendments to existing Medicare GME...Read More
0
Success in District Court on a Graduate Medical Education Issue
May 19, 2021 GME Solutions would like to congratulate our hospital clients and counsels, Powers Pyles Sutter & Verville and Baker Donelson, on the recent favorable ruling by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The court agreed that a Medicare regulation is inconsistent with the law and under reimburses hospitals that train Graduate Medical Education (GME)...Read More
0
The Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021
May 14, 2021 The Resident Physician Shortage Act of 2021 was reintroduced by three U.S. Reps. – Terri Sewell (D-AK), John Katko (R-NY), Tom Suozzi (D-NY), and Rodney Davis (R-IL). This bill will create an additional 14,000 residency positions funded by Medicare. Their goal is to add 2,000 residency positions each year between 2023 to 2029. The need for doctors has been exacerbated...Read More
0
FY 2022 IPPS Proposed Rule
May 7, 2021 On April 27, The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced a proposal for graduate medical education (GME) as part of the FY 2022 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule. These policies will bring additional residency slots, changes to accreditation for Rural Training Tracks (RTTs), and opportunities for low Per Resident Amounts (PRA’s)...Read More
0
Opportunity to Apply for FTE Cap Slots Due to Hospital Closures
February 19, 2021 CMS has used the CY 2021 OPPS Final Rule to announce another two rounds of applications for Section 5506 of the Affordable Care Act, FTE redistribution of cap slots from closed hospitals, Round 18 and Round 19. Applications must be received by CMS’s Central Office by March 29, 2021; it is not sufficient for applications to be postmarked by this date....Read More
0
COVID-19 Update: Cost Report Filing Extensions
January 13, 2021 To further assist hospitals during the current Public Health Emergency, CMS has granted providers an additional 60 days from the initial due date for any cost reporting period not identified and ending on a date falling in the period of March 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. Following is a link to CMS’s official announcement (see page 105):...Read More
0
GME Alert: Congress Pass COVID-19 Emergency Relief Package
December 23, 2020 On December 21, 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, a $900 billion spending package designed to stabilize the US economy and fund programs to fight COVID-19. This bill, expected to take effect by mid-January if signed by President Trump, contains several important changes related to graduate medical education (GME). Below is a summary of...Read More
0
FY 2021 IPPS Final Rule: Displaced Resident Policies
October 22, 2020 CMS has issued the FY 2021 IPPS Final Rule that took effect on October 1, 2020. The proposed rule addressed growing concerns of operational and administrative challenges resulting from residents who transferred or matched to other programs or participate in planned rotations at other hospitals before the official closing date. As a result, CMS has redefined “displaced...Read More
0
CY 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
September 29, 2020 The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is seeking comments on whether regulatory flexibilities initiated during the Public Health Emergency (PHE) should be extended for the remainder of 2020. CMS officially made their request for comments in the CY 2021 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule published on August 3, 2020. These policies related to...Read More
0
COVID-19 Update: Additional Cost Report Filing Extensions
July 14, 2020 CMS has provided additional flexibility for hospitals during this Public Health Emergency by extending cost report filing deadlines. Hospitals with fiscal years ending December 31, 2019, January 31, 2020, or February 29, 2020, will have an extension to file their cost reports as stated below: Hospitals with fiscal years ending 12/31/2019 will now be due by...Read More
0