The Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Program is committed to supporting our partners in the fight to prevent and treat COVID-19, also known as the Coronavirus, as it spreads throughout the United States. Since much is still unknown about COVID-19, we have developed this page to share resources with our constituents. This page will continue to be updated as more information is made available.
Resources from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS):
- CMS: 1135 Waivers
- CMS: BFCC-QIOs Respond to COVID-19 with Information and Support for Beneficiaries
- CMS: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Partner Toolkit
- CMS: COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers
- CMS: COVID-19 Long-term Care Facility Guidance
- CMS: ESRD Provider Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool Kit
- CMS Fact Sheet: 2021 Medicare Advantage and Part D Rate Announcement Fact Sheet
- CMS Fact Sheet: Additional Background: Sweeping Regulatory Changes to Help U.S. Healthcare System Address COVID-19 Patient Surge
- CMS Fact Sheet: Fiscal Year 2021 Hospice Payment Rate Update Proposed Rule CMS-1733-P)
- CMS Fact Sheet: Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) (CMS-1729-P)
- CMS Fact Sheet: Fiscal Year 2021 Proposed Medicare Payment and Policy Changes for Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities (CMS-1731-P)
- CMS Fact Sheet: Fiscal Year 2021 Proposed Medicare Payment and Policy Changes for Skilled Nursing Facilities (CMS-1737-P)
- CMS Fact Sheet: Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact Sheet
- CMS: Guidance to Help Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans Respond to COVID-19
- CMS: Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Home Health Agencies (HHAs)
- CMS: Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Nursing Homes (REVISED)
- CMS: Head to Toe Infection Prevention Toolkit (ZIP)
- CMS: Long Term Care (LTC) Infection Control Worksheet
- CMS: Long-Term Care Nursing Homes Telehealth and Telemedicine Tool Kit
- CMS: Medicare Telehealth Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- CMS: New Waivers for Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Hospitals, Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs), and Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) due to Provisions of the CARES Act
- CMS: Upcoming Requirements for Notification of Confirmed COVID-19 (or COVID-19 Persons of Investigation) Among Residents and Staff in Nursing Homes
- CMS Press Release from 3/4/20: CMS Announces Actions to Address Spread of Coronavirus
- CMS Press Release from 3/5/20: CMS Develops Additional Code for Coronavirus Lab Tests
- CMS Press Release from 3/5/20: Statement from CMS Administrator Seema Verma on America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) taking action against the Coronavirus
- CMS Press Release from 3/6/20: COVID-19 Response News Alert: CMS Issues Frequently Asked Questions to Assist Medicare Providers
- CMS Press Release from 3/9/20: CMS Issues Call to Action for Hospital Emergency Departments to Screen Patients for Coronavirus
- CMS Press Release from 3/9/20: CMS Issues Clear, Actionable Guidance to Providers about COVID-19 Virus
- CMS Press Release from 3/9/20: Telehealth Benefits in Medicare are a Lifeline for Patients During Coronavirus Outbreak
- CMS Press Release from 3/10/20: CMS Issues Guidance to help Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans Respond to COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 3/10/20: CMS Sends More Detailed Guidance to Providers about COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 3/10/20: COVID-19 Response News Alert: CMS Issues Key Protective Mask Guidance for Healthcare Workers
- CMS Press Release from 3/13/20: CMS Announces New Measures to Protect Nursing Home Residents from COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 3/13/20: CMS Publishes FAQs to Ensure Individuals, Issuers and States have Clear Information on Coverage Benefits for COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 3/13/20: CMS Takes Action Nationwide to Aggressively Respond to Coronavirus National Emergency
- CMS Press Release from 3/13/20: Emergency Declaration Press Call Remarks by CMS Administrator Seema Verma
- CMS Press Release from 3/17/20: President Trump Expands Telehealth Benefits for Medicare Beneficiaries During COVID-19 Outbreak
- CMS Press Release from 3/18/20: CMS Releases Recommendations on Adult Elective Surgeries, Non-Essential Medical, Surgical, and Dental Procedures During COVID-19 Response
- CMS Press Release from 3/18/20: COVID-19 Response News Alert: CMS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for State Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Agencies
- CMS Press Release from 3/18/20: COVID-19 Response News Alert: CMS Issues Frequently Asked Questions on Catastrophic Health Coverage and the Coronavirus
- CMS Press Release from 3/22/20: CMS Announces Relief for Clinicians, Providers, Hospitals and Facilities Participating in Quality Reporting Programs in Response to COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 3/22/20: Trump Administration Releases COVID-19 Checklists and Tools to Accelerate Relief for State Medicaid & CHIP Programs
- CMS Press Release from 3/23/20: CMS Administrator Seema Verma’s Remarks as Prepared for Delivery: Updates on Healthcare Facility Inspections in light of COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 3/23/20: CMS Announces Findings at Kirkland Nursing Home and New Targeted Plan for Healthcare Facility Inspections in light of COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 3/23/20: CMS Approves Medicaid Section 1135 Waivers for 11 Additional States in Response to COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 3/26/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 3/27/20: Trump Administration Approves 34th State Request for Medicaid Emergency Waivers
- CMS Press Release from 3/28/20: Trump Administration Provides Financial Relief for Medicare Providers
- CMS Press Release from 3/29/20: Trump Administration Engages America’s Hospitals in Unprecedented Data Sharing
- CMS Press Release from 3/30/20: Trump Administration Makes Sweeping Regulatory Changes to Help U.S. Healthcare System Address COVID-19 Patient Surge
- CMS Press Release from 3/30/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 3/31/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/2/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/2/20: Trump Administration Issues Key Recommendations to Nursing Homes, State and Local Governments
- CMS Press Release from 4/3/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/6/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/7/20: CMS Approves Approximately $34 Billion for Providers with the Accelerated/Advance Payment Program for Medicare Providers in One Week
- CMS Press Release from 4/7/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/8/20: CMS Issues New Wave of Infection Control Guidance Based on CDC Guidelines to Protect Patients and Healthcare Workers from COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 4/9/20: Trump Administration Acts to Ensure U.S. Healthcare Facilities Can Maximize Frontline Workforces to Confront COVID-19 Crisis
- CMS Press Release from 4/9/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/11/20: Trump Administration Announces Expanded Coverage for Essential Diagnostic Services Amid COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
- CMS Press Release from 4/13/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/14/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/15/20: CMS Increases Medicare Payment for High-Production Coronavirus Lab Tests
- CMS Press Release from 4/16/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/19/20: CMS Issues Recommendations to Re-Open Health Care Systems in Areas with Low Incidence of COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 4/19/20: Trump Administration Announces New Nursing Homes COVID-19 Transparency Effort
- CMS Press Release from 4/20/20: Trump Administration Champions Reporting of COVID-19 Clinical Trial Data through Quality Payment Program, Announces New Clinical Trials Improvement Activity
- CMS Press Release from 4/21/20: CMS Issues Guidance Allowing Independent Freestanding Emergency Departments to Provide Care to Medicare and Medicaid Beneficiaries during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
- CMS Press Release from 4/21/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/21/20: Statements from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Interoperability Flexibilities amid the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
- CMS Press Release from 4/22/20: Trump Administration Launches New Toolkit to Help States Navigate COVID-19 Health Workforce Challenges
- CMS Press Release from 4/23/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/23/20: Trump Administration Releases COVID-19 Telehealth Toolkit to Accelerate State Use of Telehealth in Medicaid and CHIP
- CMS Press Release from 4/26/20: CMS Reevaluates Accelerated Payment Program and Suspends Advance Payment Program
- CMS Press Release from 4/27/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 4/30/20: CMS Announces Independent Commission to Address Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes
- CMS Press Release from 4/30/20: Trump Administration Issues Second Round of Sweeping Changes to Support U.S. Healthcare System During COVID-19 Pandemic
- CMS Press Release from 5/1/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 5/5/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 5/6/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 5/7/20: CMS Announces Final Payment Notice for 2021 Coverage Year
- CMS Press Release from 5/7/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 5/11/20: CMS Builds on Commitment to Transform Healthcare Through Competition and Innovation
- CMS Press Release from 5/11/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 5/13/20: CMS Issues Nursing Homes Best Practices Toolkit to Combat COVID-19
- CMS Press Release from 5/13/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 5/14/20: Trump Administration Announces Call for Nominations for Nursing Home Commission
- CMS Press Release from 5/15/20: CMS News Alert
- CMS Press Release from 5/18/20: Trump Administration Issues Guidance to Ensure States Have a Plan in Place to Safely Reopen Nursing Homes
- CMS Press Release from 5/19/20: CMS News Alert
Resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):
- CDC: ASL Video Series
- CDC: Cases in the U.S.
- CDC: Communication Resources
- CDC: Coronavirus and Travel in the United States
- CDC: Decontamination and Reuse of Filtering Facepiece Respirators
- CDC: Guidance for Childcare Programs that Remain Open
- CDC: Healthcare Infection Prevention and Control FAQs for COVID-19
- CDC: Infection Prevention Training
- CDC: Information for Healthcare Professionals
- CDC: Information for Travel
- CDC: Interim Clinical Guidance for Management of Patients with Confirmed Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
- CDC: Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- CDC: Interim Guidance for Implementing Home Care of People Not Requiring Hospitalization for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- CDC: Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Healthcare Settings
- CDC: Interim U.S. Guidance for Risk Assessment and Public Health Management of Healthcare Personnel with Potential Exposure in a Healthcare Setting to Patients with Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
- CDC: Preparing for COVID-19: Long-term Care Facilities, Nursing Homes
- CDC: Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of N95 Respirators
- CDC: Visiting Parks and Recreational Facilities
- CDC: What's New