CMS announced today that Medicare will be increasing payments for high-production Coronavirus lab tests. Expanded testing capabilities significantly benefit healthcare settings with high volume testing needs, such as nursing homes, where populations are most vulnerable to infection.
In their announcement, CMS stated “Medicare will pay the higher payment of $100 for COVID-19 clinical diagnostic lab tests making use of high-throughput technologies developed by the private sector that allow for increased testing capacity, faster results, and more effective means of combating the spread of the virus. High-throughput lab tests can process more than two hundred specimens a day using highly sophisticated equipment that requires specially trained technicians and more time-intensive processes to assure quality.” Payment at the increased rate is effective April 14, 2020. The higher rate remains effective through the remainder of the national emergency.
CMS previously announced that “Medicare will pay new specimen collection fees for COVID-19 testing for homebound and non-hospital inpatients, to help facilitate the testing of homebound individuals and those unable to travel.” Both recent updates will help to increase testing accessibility and efficiency and enable delivery of rapid results while limiting patient exposure.
Advis continues to monitor updates from CMS. Please contact any of our COVID-19 task force members with your Medicare and COVID-19 questions.
Published: April 16, 2020