Welcome to Monday Minute with Melinda! This video clip will provides an update on Sequestration claims hold, Advanced & Accelerated Payments & Provider Relief Funds!
Hello everyone and welcome to our Monday minute. Today I want to talk to you about three quick things that are very important that will be happening this week.
We have had some interesting information occur over the last week or so regarding Sequestration, Advanced Accelerated Payments as we discussed a week or so ago, and Provider Relief Funds frequently asked questions. To begin with Sequestration, the sequestration 2% reduction was put on hold through March 31. That went into effect last year to go through March 31 of this year, based on dates of service. That is one key thing that people are not connecting….when I tell you the next thing, which is what we learned last week, that Medicare MACs have been instructed to hold claims with dates of service (key point), April 1 and later without processing those for payment until there has been a decision made about the 2% sequestration reduction. The Senate has passed the bill and we are waiting for the House. The House has to take up the bill when they return on April 12. That will then make the decision as to whether the 2% sequestration will be reinstated or if the hold on the Sequestration will be set through December 31. The expectation is that it will pass, which means 2% sequestration will not occur through December 31 of this year. However, your claims will be held, again only the claims with dates of service April 1, 2021 and forward.
The Advanced Accelerated Payments, we had a Monday minute on recently, It does not look as if they are going to postpone the recoupment or refunding of that money. That should begin this week with agencies who were the early recipients of the Advanced and Accelerated Payments when the Public Health Emergency first began.
And lastly, the Provider Relief Funds. The Provider Relief Funds that had two big distributions and the third distribution is available, if you qualify…The reporting for those Provider Relief Funds’ deadline has changed multiple times. We continue to have a reporting portal that has been opened in January, that you can register in, but there is still not a timeframe in which we will begin reporting. What I wanted to let you know about today is that the frequently asked questions for the Provider Relief Funds was updated March 31, just a few days ago and you will want to make sure that you check that out. It gives some frequently asked question details about reporting of cost to offset those Provider Relief Funds. Provider Relief Fund – Frequently asked questions and Instructions as to how the advanced accelerated payments will be deducted.
Thank you all for joining me today. I hope this has been helpful. If you need additional information please let us know, Give us a call or send us an email and as always support your State and National Homecare Associations. HPS is always here to support you.
If you enjoyed today’s content be sure to check out the HPS Alliance where members receive exclusive content, webinars, and ongoing updates from our industry-leading educators.
View most recent Monday Minute – March 29, 2021. The following webinar discusses both the advanced accelerated payments and the provider Relief Fund reporting: AAP & Provider Relief Funds.