Coronavirus (COVID-19) Partner Toolkit

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is taking action to protect the health and safety of our nation’s patients and providers in the wake of the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

CMS has developed this toolkit to help you stay informed on CMS and HHS materials available on the COVID-19. Please share these materials, bookmark the page, and check back often for the most up-to-date information.

Please refresh your browser often to see the most up-to-date information. 

To listen to the audio files and read the transcripts for the COVID-19 Stakeholder calls, visit the Podcast and Transcripts page.

To keep up with the important work CMS is doing in response to COVID-19, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.

Federal Resources

• CDC Homepage
• Coronavirus.gov
• USA.gov
• USA.gov (Spanish)
• FEMA.gov

White House Coronavirus Task Force: Keeping Workplaces, Homes, Schools, or Commercial Establishments Safe.

• Families First Coronavirus Response Act
• Workplace, School and Home Guidance
• A Framework for Mitigation

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Stakeholder Calls 

CMS hosts varied recurring stakeholder engagement sessions to share information related to the agency’s response to COVID-19. These sessions are open to members of the healthcare community and are intended to provide updates, share best practices among peers, and offer attendees an opportunity to ask questions of CMS and other subject matter experts.

CMS COVID-19 Office Hours Call (twice a month on Tuesdays at 5:00 – 6:00 PM Eastern)

*Tuesday, December 22nd at 5:00 – 6:00 PM Eastern

Toll Free Attendee Dial In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 3968359

Audio Webcast link: https://engage.vevent.com/rt/cms2/index.jsp?seid=2771
 

COVID-19 Care Site-Specific Call

Hospitals Without Walls: On November 25^th, CMS announced the expansion of the Hospitals Without Walls program by executing an innovative Acute Hospital Care At Home program, providing eligible hospitals with unprecedented regulatory flexibilities to treat eligible patients in their homes. This program was developed to support models of at-home hospital care throughout the country that have seen prior success in several leading hospital institutions and networks, and reported in academic journals, including a major study funded by a Healthcare Innovation Award from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI).

This stakeholder call will feature two leading organizations walking through their programs as well as a question and answer session. Note: Slides/resources will be posted on CMS.gov prior to the call.

Wednesday, December 9^th at 4:00-5:00 PM Eastern

Toll Free Attendee Dial In: 833-614-0820; Access Passcode: 1235939

Audio Webcast Link: https://engage.vevent.com/rt/cms2/index.jsp?seid=2786

Slides- Hospitalization at Home: Mount Sinai Health System Experience (New York, NY) presented by Linda V. DeCherrie, MD and Brigham and Women's Hospital Experience (Boston, MA) presented by David M. Levine, MD MPH MA (PDF)

Conference lines are limited, so we highly encourage you to join via audio webcast, either on your computer or smartphone web browser. You are welcome to share this invitation with your colleagues and membership.

To listen to the audio files and read the transcripts for the COVID-19 Stakeholder calls, visit the Podcast and Transcripts page.

If you work with:

The General Public

• Re-Opening America: What Patients Should Know About Seeking Healthcare (PDF) (6/9/20)  In Spanish (PDF)
• Wash Your Hands Video
• FEMA Rumor Control

Communications, Toolkits and Resources

• CDC COVID-19 Communications Resources and Tools
• FDA COVID-19 Social Media Toolkit
• Stop the Spread of Germs Infographic 
• COVID-19 Symptoms Infographic

Faith-Based Communities

• HHS Recommended Preventive Practices and FAQs for Faith-Based and Community Leaders (Updated 3/27/20)
• Considering Faith, Community, and Mental Health During the COVID-19 Crisis
• Interim Guidance for Community and Faith Leaders
• Checklist for Community and Faith Leaders
• Cleaning and Disinfection Recommendations

Higher Risk Groups   

• New CDC COVID-19 Guidance for Older Adults (05/06/2020)
• CDC Guidance – People Who are Higher Risk for Severe Illness
• People Who Need to Take Extra Precautions
• People Who Are At Higher Risk for Severe Illness (4/15/20) UPDATED
• Administration for Community Living: Information for Older Adults and People with Disabilities

Rural Communities

• Rural Crosswalk: CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19 (PDF) (8/20/20)
• Expanded Flexibilities for Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (4/17/2020) (PDF) (PDF)
• Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP) FAQs (4/8/2020)
• Rural Health Information Hub – Rural Response to COVID-19
• Rural Response to COVID-19 Webinars and Teleconferences
• HHS and USDA Rural Health and COVID-19 Webinar (aired May 12)
• Update for Rural Partners and Communities on COVID-19 Webinar- aired March 23

Other Vulnerable Populations

• HHS Awards $15 Million to Combat the COVID-19 Pandemic in Rural Tribal Communities (5/28/20)
• CMS Office of Minority Health (OMH) COVID-19 Resources on Vulnerable Populations (5/15/20)
• CMS OMH From Coverage to Care COVID-19 Resources (5/28/20)
• Resources for Homeless Shelters
• CDC Guidance for Retirement Communities and Independent Living
• Guidance in Correctional and Detention Facilities
• Funding for Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program for COVID-19

Medicare Beneficiaries

• General Beneficiary Information
• General Beneficiary Information (Spanish)
• COVID-19 Data on Medicare Beneficiaries (6/22/20)
• Medicare blog  (3/3/2020)

Protect Yourself from Coronavirus Scams

• Help Fight Medicare Fraud
• Identify Theft:  Protect Yourself
• How to Report Medicare Fraud

Telemedicine 

• Telehealth Video: Medicare Coverage and Payment of Virtual Services (5/8/20)
• Medicare Telehealth Coverage
• Telehealth Benefits (3/9/2020)
• Expanded Telehealth Services (3/17/2020)
• HHS Telehealth Toolkit for Patients

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Resources

• Taking Care of your Behavioral Health: Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation During an Infectious Disease Outbreak
• Virtual Recovery Resources
• Managing Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Caregivers

• Caring for Someone At Home (4/15/20)
• Home Care Guidance (2/12/2020)
• Prevent the Spread Guidance 

Marketplace Consumers

• Guidance Available on Telehealth and HHS-Operated Risk Adjustment for Individual and Small Group Health Insurance Health Plans (4/27/20) (PDF)
• Marketplace Blog (3/6/2020)
• Payment and Grace Period Flexibilities Associated with the COVID-19 (PDF) (3/24/2020)

If you are a Clinician

• CMS Announces Resumption of Routine Inspections of All Provider and Suppliers, Issues Updated Enforcement (8/17/20)
• HHS Extends Application Deadline for Medicaid Providers and Plans to Reopen Portal to Certain Medicare Providers
• CMS Payment Model Flexibilities for COVID-19 (6/3/20)
• Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Response to the Public Health Emergency on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) (06/01/2020) (PDF)
• COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Billing (PDF) (5/27/20)
• COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers (5/15/20) (PDF)
• Flexibilities with Regulatory Waivers and Rule Changes to Support U.S. Healthcare System During COVID-19 (4/30/20)
• Dear Clinician Letter – CMS Adds New COVID-19 Clinical Trials Improvement Activity to the Quality Payment Program - Issued 4/28/20
• COVID-19 Clinical Trials Improvement Activity to the Quality Payment Program (4/28/20) (PDF)
• Reporting of COVID-19 Clinical Trial Data through the Quality Payment Program (4/20/20)
• CMS Increases Medicare Payment for High-Production Coronavirus Lab Tests (4/14/2020) (PDF)
• Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers - includes Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally-Qualified Health Centers, Long-Term Care and Skilled Nursing Facilities, Hospice, End-Stage Renal Dialysis Facilities, Durable Medical Equipment – Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, 1135 Waivers – 4/10/2020 (PDF)
• Dear Clinician Letter – Issued 4/7/20 (PDF)

Telemedicine

• Telehealth Video: Medicare Coverage and Payment of Virtual Services (5/8/20)
• Telehealth Benefits in Medicare
• Expanded Medicare Telehealth Services
• Telehealth Toolkit for General Practitioners (PDF)
• End-Stage Renal Disease Providers Toolkit (PDF)
• FAQs on Availability and Usage of Telehealth Services through Private Health Insurance Coverage (PDF (PDF)
• HHS Telehealth Toolkit for Providers and Your Patients

HHS Office of Inspector General

• Policy Statement Regarding Physicians or Other Practitioners that Reduce or Waive Amounts Owed by Federal Health Care Program Beneficiaries for Telehealth
• Fact Sheet for Practitioners That Reduce, Waive Amounts Owed by Beneficiaries for Telehealth Services During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Pharmacies

• Medicare Pharmacies and Other Suppliers May Temporarily Enroll as Independent Clinical Diagnostic Laboratories to Help Address COVID-19 Testing (PDF)

HHS Office of Civil Rights

• Notification of Enforcement Discretion for Telehealth Remote Communications During the COVID-19 Nationwide Public Health Emergency
• FAQs on Telehealth and HIPAA during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency

HIPAA Guidance during COVID-19

• Limited Waiver of HIPAA Sanctions and Penalties During a Nationwide Public Health Emergency
• HIPAA Privacy and Novel Coronavirus

Additional CMS Guidance

• CDC COVID-19 Information for Healthcare Professionals
• Clinician Outreach and Communication Activity (COCA)
• Information for Clinicians on Therapeutic Options for COVID-19 Patients

FDA Resources

• Webinar Series - FDA’s Surgical Masks Umbrella emergency use authorization
• Guidance on Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) Requirements
• Action to Facilitate Access to Medical Products, including Ventilators and other Respiratory Devices
• Personal Protective Equipment
• Access to Respirators

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

• SAMHSA Resources and Information
• Considerations for the Care and Treatment of Mental and Substance Use Disorders
• COVID-19 Guidance for opioid treatment programs
• FAQs: Provision of methadone and buprenorphine for the treatment of Opioid Use Disorder in the COVID-19 Emergency
• Disaster Planning Handbook for Behavioral Health Treatment Programs

If you are in a Care Setting

Hospitals and Healthcare Systems

• CMS Payment Model Flexibilities for COVID-19 (6/3/20)
• Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Response to the Public Health Emergency on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) (PDF) (6/1/20)
• COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) Billing (PDF) (5/27/20)
• COVID-19 Fact Sheet for State and Local Governments CMS Programs & Payment for Care in Hospital Alternate Care Sites (PDF) (5/26/20)
• Flexibilities with Additional Regulatory Waivers and Rule Changes to Support U.S. Healthcare System During COVID-19 (4/30/20)
• Frequently Asked Questions for EMTALA during COVID-19 (4/30/20)
• COVID-19 Workforce Virtual Toolkit: Resources for Healthcare Decision-Makers Responding to COVID-19 Workforce Concerns (4/22/20)
• CMS Recommendations: Re-opening Facilities to Provide Non-emergent Non-COVID-19 Healthcare: Phase I – 4/19/20 (PDF)
• New Waivers for Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Hospitals, Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs), and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) (4/15/20) (PDF)
• CMS Increases Medicare Payment for High-Production Coronavirus Lab Tests (PDF) (4/14/2020)
• Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers - includes Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally-Qualified Health Centers, Long-Term Care and Skilled Nursing Facilities, Hospice, End-Stage Renal Dialysis Facilities, Durable Medical Equipment – Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, 1135 Waivers – 4/10/2020 (PDF)
• Press Release: Regulatory Changes Regulatory Changes to Help U.S. Healthcare System Address COVID-19 Patient Surge
• Fact Sheet: Additional Background: Sweeping Regulatory Changes to Help U.S. Healthcare System Address COVID-19 Patient Surge
• COVID-19 Waivers and Flexibilities
• Letter to Hospitals: Reporting Data on COVID-19 Testing Performed in “In-house” Laboratories (PDF)
• Memorandum for Hospital Emergency Departments
• Waivers and Flexibilities for Hospitals and other Healthcare Facilities (PDF)
• CMS Targeted Plan for Healthcare Facility Inspections
• Medicare Quality Reporting Programs – exceptions from reporting requirements and extensions
• CDC Considerations for Inpatient Obstetric Healthcare Settings

Nursing Facilities

• CMS Announces Resumption of Routine Inspections of All Provider and Suppliers, Issues Updated Enforcement Guidance to States, and Posts Toolkit to Assist Nursing Homes (8/17/20)
  • Memo to State Agencies
  • Toolkit on State Actions to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence in Nursing Homes (PDF) (revised August 2020)
• CMS-CDC Fundamentals of COVID-19 Prevention for Nursing Home Management Trainings
• Five Things About Nursing Homes During COVID-19 video
• Guidance to states on COVID-19 survey activities, CARES Act funding, enhanced enforcement for infection control deficiencies, and quality improvement activities in nursing homes (6/1/20)
  • Nursing Home Memo to State Survey Agency Directors (PDF)
  • Nursing Home Letter to Governors (PDF) 
  • State Breakdown of Nursing Home COVID-19 Data (PDF)
• CDC Testing Guidelines for Nursing Homes (6/13/20)
• Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations for State and Local Officials (5/18/20) (PDF)
• Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations Frequently Asked Questions (5/1820) (PDF (PDF))
• Letter from CMS Administrator Seema Verma to Nursing Home Workers (PDF) (5/11/20)
• Interim Final Rule Updating Requirements for Notification of Confirmed and Suspected COVID-19 Cases Among Residents and Staff in Nursing Homes (PDF) (5/6/20)
• Independent Commission to Conduct a Comprehensive Assessment of Nursing Home Response to COVID-19 (5/1/20)
• Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System Updates, Nursing Home Staff Counts, and Frequently Asked Questions (4/24/20)
• Requirements for Notification of Confirmed COVID-19 Among Residents and Staff in Nursing Homes (4/19/20)
• Key Recommendations to Nursing Homes, State and Local Governments – 4/3/20
• COVID-19 Long-Term Care Facility Guidance – 4/2/20 (PDF)
• COVID-19 Long-Term Care Facility Transfer Scenarios Memo (PDF) (4/13/20)
• Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in nursing homes (REVISED 3/13/20)

Telemedicine

• Video Available on Medicare Coverage and Payment of Telehealth Services
• Long-Term Care Nursing Homes Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool Kit (PDF)
• Applicability of Diagnoses from Telehealth Services for Risk Adjustment for Medicare Advantage, Cost, PACE, and Demonstration Organizations (PDF)

Health Centers

• CMS Releases Additional Waivers for Long-Term Care Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers and Intermediate Care Facilities (4/21/20) (PDF)
• Health Resources and Services Administration - Emergency Preparedness and Recovery Resources for Health Centers
• COVID-19 FAQs for Health Centers

Ambulatory Care Settings

• CDC Guidance for Outpatient and Ambulatory Care Settings
• CMS Guidance for Ambulatory Surgery Centers

Other

• Guidance Allowing Independent Freestanding Emergency Departments to Provide Care to Medicare and Medicaid Beneficiaries during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (4/21/20)
• Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) Organizations
• Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by Hospice Agencies
• NEW - Removal of Non-Invasive Ventilator Product Category from DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Program

CDC Health Professionals Guidance

• CDC COVID-19 Information for Healthcare Professionals
• CDC COVID-19 Information for Healthcare Facilities

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) 

• SAMHSA Resources and Information
• Considerations for Outpatient Mental and Substance Use Disorder Treatment Settings
• Interim Considerations for State Psychiatric Hospitals
• Opioid Treatment Program Guidance

If you are a Health Plan or a State

• Medicaid.gov - COVID-19 Guidance and Resources for States
• Operationalizing Implementation of the Optional COVID-19 Testing (XXIII) Group - Potential State Flexibilities Guidance (6/2/20)
• COVID-19 Fact Sheet for State and Local Governments CMS Programs & Payment for Care in Hospital Alternate Care Sites (PDF) (5/26/20)
• CMCS Informational Bulletin: Medicaid Managed Care Options in Responding to COVID-19 (5/14/20)
• COVID-19 FAQs for State Medicaid and CHIP agencies – UPDATED 5/5/20 (New Questions Only Document)
• Medicaid and CHIP Disaster Response Toolkit
• Flexibilities with Additional Regulatory Waivers and Rule Changes to Support U.S. Healthcare System During COVID-19 (4/30/20)
• COVID-19 Workforce Virtual Toolkit: Resources for Healthcare Decision-Makers Responding to COVID-19 Workforce Concerns
• New Guidance Regarding Enhanced Medicaid Funding for States
  • Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP)
  • FMAP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
• Medicaid and CHIP Checklists and Tools
• Information Bulletin: Medicaid Substance Use Disorder Treatment via Telehealth, and Rural Health Care and Medicaid Telehealth Flexibilities Guidance
• Medicaid Disaster State Plan Amendment Template
• Medicaid Telehealth
• Medicaid 1115 Waiver Opportunity and Application Checklist

Medicaid Section 1135 Waivers

• Medicaid 1135 Waiver Opportunity and Application Checklist
• List of Approved State Medicaid 1135 Waivers
• Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers - includes Hospitals, Rural Health Clinics, Federally-Qualified Health Centers, Long-Term Care and Skilled Nursing Facilities, Hospice, End-Stage Renal Dialysis Facilities, Durable Medical Equipment – Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, 1135 Waivers – ISSUED 4/10/20 (PDF)
• Guidance Allowing Independent Freestanding Emergency Departments to Provide Care to Medicare and Medicaid Beneficiaries during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (4/21/20)

Medicaid Home and Community Based 1915(c) Waivers/Appendix K

• Appendix K Templates, Documents, Instructions and List of Approved Waivers
• COVID-19 Appendix K Instructions

Medicare Advantage and Part D

• Press Release
• CMS memorandum for Medicare Advantage and Part D (PDF)

SAMHSA Emergency Grants to Address Mental and Substance Use Disorders

FAQs on Requirement that Health Plans Cover COVID-19 Testing and Related Items and Services

This resource, and earlier CMS actions in response to the COVID-19 virus, are part of the ongoing White House Task Force efforts. To keep up with the important work the Task Force is doing in response to COVID-19 click here Coronavirus.gov. For information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.

CMS is regularly posting resources. Please note that the most updated information can be found on Coronavirus.gov, FDA.gov, and USA.gov. 

Updated July 13, 2020