{"id":5998,"date":"2020-12-20T05:55:35","date_gmt":"2020-12-20T11:55:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.amityhealthcaregroup.com\/?p=5998"},"modified":"2025-07-05T10:05:32","modified_gmt":"2025-07-05T16:05:32","slug":"december-18th-2020","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.amityhealthcaregroup.com\/?p=5998","title":{"rendered":"Issue date: December 18th, 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your families from<\/strong><\/p>\n

Amity Healthcare Group! <\/strong><\/p>\n

We wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous year!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hello, everyone!<\/p>\n

Here are some home health-related updates for this week:<\/p>\n

AMITY\u2019S NEWS<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The next available CNA\/HHA and Skilled Nursing Competency is Tuesday, December 22, 2020, and Thursday, December 24, 2020. <\/strong><\/p>\n

If you would like to register your Skilled Nurses and\/or HHAs\/CNAs for a competency, please follow the links below: <\/strong><\/p>\n

Skilled Nursing Competency: https:\/\/staging.amityhealthcaregroup.com\/services\/nursing-competencies\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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HHA\/CNA Competency:\u00a0 https:\/\/staging.amityhealthcaregroup.com\/services\/cna-hha-competency\/<\/a><\/p>\n

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Let Amity Healthcare Group assist you with staying compliant with competency and ongoing training\/continued education requirements in a worry-free manner. <\/strong><\/p>\n

For more information, please call 303-690-2749 or email: ig@amityhealthcaregroup.com<\/a><\/p>\n

NATIONAL NEWS<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) <\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

As you know, NAHC has been a long-time advocate for home health and hospice providers and industry. On December 15, 2020 NAHC submitted a letter to CMS requesting that CMS reconsider several modifications made to regulatory policies and COVID-19 flexibilities to support providers during these challenging times. For a complete letter, please go to https:\/\/discussion.nahc.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/wpforo\/default_attachments\/1608056284-12-15-more-CMS-flexibilities.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

We would like to thank NACH for their continuous support!<\/strong><\/p>\n

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Request for Information<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services<\/em> (HHS)<\/em> \u00a0has issued a request for information (RFI) seeking input from healthcare stakeholders on the costs and benefits of the regulatory changes the agency has made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. HHS stated that it will use comments collected from the RFI in an attempt to determine which regulatory actions it will make permanent (beyond the public health emergency) or keep as temporary.<\/p>\n

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Below, you will find a list of questions\u00a0 for which CMS is looking for comments. Comments to CMS are due December 28, 2020.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Key Questions <\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Of the regulatory changes that have been made by the HHS in response to the COVID\u201319 PHE and the pandemic, please identify which changes;<\/strong><\/li>\n
  2. Have been beneficial to healthcare or human services providers, healthcare or human services systems, or to the patients and clients using these providers and systems, and under what circumstances; or<\/li>\n
  3. Have been detrimental to healthcare or human services providers, healthcare or human services systems, or to the patients and clients using these providers and systems, and under what circumstances; or<\/li>\n
  4. Have been beneficial to healthcare or human services providers, healthcare or human services systems, or to the patients and clients using these providers and systems on a temporary basis, but would be detrimental if continued, absent the exigencies of the COVID\u201319 PHE and pandemic.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    (<\/strong>Please explain and provide any evidence you have of benefit or detriment).<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Of the regulatory changes that have been made by the HHS in response to the COVID\u201319 PHE and the pandemic, please identify which changes:<\/strong><\/li>\n
    2. Should be maintained only for the duration of the PHE and pandemic;<\/li>\n
    3. Should be maintained after the expiration of the PHE or the end of the pandemic; i.e., made permanent;<\/li>\n
    4. Should be extended for a period of time after the expiration of the PHE or the end of the pandemic without being made permanent;<\/li>\n
    5. Should be modified but maintained after the expiration of the PHE or the end of the pandemic, and thus made permanent with modifications, and what modifications are being proposed; or \u00a0e. Should be discontinued immediately.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

       <\/p>\n

      For a complete notice of Regulatory Relief to Support Economic Recovery; Request for Information (RFI), published in the Federal Register, please go to: https:\/\/www.federalregister.gov\/documents\/2020\/11\/25\/2020-25812\/regulatory-relief-to-support-economic-recovery-request-for-information-rfi<\/a><\/h1>\n

      COVID -19 Vaccinations<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

      As we previously discussed, Medicare will pay providers, including home health, for the administration of the COVID-19 vaccine (when furnished consistent with the EUA)during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.<\/p>\n

      For a Special Medicare Learning Network Edition – COVID-19 Vaccine Codes and other updates related to COVID-19 Vaccine administration<\/em><\/strong>, please go to: https:\/\/www.cms.gov\/files\/document\/2020-12-14-mlnc-se.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n

      Updated Web Address for iQIES Known Issues Log<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

      Please note that the web address for the iQIES Known Issues Log has been updated to \u00a0https:\/\/iqies.cms.gov\/known-issues<\/a>.<\/p>\n

      The Known Issues Log is a resource to help you stay alerted to and informed about iQIES-related system or reporting issues. Users are encouraged to review the issues log to determine whether an issue has already been reported prior to contacting the QIES\/iQIES Service Center.<\/p>\n

      COLORADO NEWS<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

      COVID-19 Vaccines<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n

      As you know COVID-19 vaccines will be distributed in phases in Colorado. As of December 9, 2020 the vaccine prioritization plan has three phases as described below (Prioritization is subject to change based on data, science and availability):<\/p>\n

      \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n