Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert
CMS Bumps Up Payment for At-Home COVID Shots
You can expect a little more money in your pocket for at-home COVID-19 vaccination administration. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering additional payment to providers who administer the shot to beneficiaries in their own homes. Details: The latest policy change aims to help beneficiaries who do not have the means or ability to leave their homes to get the shot in their communities. On June 8, Medicare increased the COVID-19 administration pay for at-home vaccinations from approximately $40 to $75 per dose, which is a $35 jump in payment. “For a two-dose vaccine, this results in a total payment of approximately $150 for the administration of both doses, or approximately $70 more than the current rate,” notes a CMS release. “CMS is committed to meeting the unique needs of Medicare consumers and their communities — particularly those who are home bound or who have trouble getting to a vaccination site. That’s why we’re acting today to expand the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine to people with Medicare at home,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-Lasure in a release on the change. Providers should review which types of locations are considered acceptable to receive the additional at-home vaccination payment as well as other stipulations. Plus: The extra pay is only for COVID-19 vaccine administration; CMS will not pay the additional amount if other Medicare services are provided in the home on the same date. “In those situations, Medicare pays for administering the COVID-19 vaccine at the standard amount (approximately $40 per dose),” agency guidance says. See the release at www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-administration-continues-efforts-increase-vaccinations-bolstering-payments-home-covid-19. 
Related Articles
Part B Insider (Multispecialty) Coding Alert
- Enforcement:
Feds Target COVID Fraud in New Report
Caution: Expect scrutiny to only get more intense. If you thought the feds would put [...] - Here’s a Breakdown of the Latest Enforcement Numbers
Compare and contrast the last two reporting period stats during COVID. Despite being in the [...] - National Correct Coding Initiative:
Master NCCI PTP Edits With 4 Handy Tips
Caution: Take care when using a modifier to break an edit. When you submit myriad [...] - Part B Coding Coach:
Boost Non-Invasive Vascular Study Coding With This Insight
Tip: Review whether the code is bilateral or unilateral. If non-invasive vascular diagnostic study claims [...] - Clip And Save:
Pocket This POS Coding List
Tip: Check the small print on definitions to sidestep confusion. Correct place of service (POS) [...] - Physician Notes:
E/M Upcoding Charge Garners Hefty Settlement for Physician Practice
A recent Department of Justice (DOJ) settlement shows that the feds take overbilling on E/M [...] - Physician Notes:
ACA Stands Strong in Latest Challenge in the Supreme Court
In its third legal go-round, Obamacare triumphs again after the U.S. Supreme Court confirms the [...] - Physician Notes:
CMS Bumps Up Payment for At-Home COVID Shots
You can expect a little more money in your pocket for at-home COVID-19 vaccination administration. [...]
