Health Care Payment to Support COVID-19 Detection and Containment

ABSTRACT

From the Executive Summary: CMS [Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] recently announced new COVID-19 [coronavirus disease payments to reimburse a broader range of state-authorized health professionals that order diagnostic tests, and to pay for specimen collection and test performance in community settings such as pharmacies. This report describes further payment supports for comprehensive and effective health care provider engagement in rapid case detection, management, and containment of the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on recent CMS actions, these payment reforms could be adopted individually or collectively to reinforce and support health care providers in developing the following capabilities to help contain COVID-19 [1] Provider capacity to conduct COVID-19 health monitoring and case detection for their population of patients;[2] Test sample collection or telemedicine supervision of tests done at home;[3] Test performance with rapid reporting, including timely data sharing with public health authorities;[4] Case management at home or in the community for infected individuals;[5] Assistance with contact tracing, quarantine, and follow-up management. These payments could be implemented in different ways, all of which either fall within current CMS authority for provider and laboratory test payment, or within the scope of COVID-19 legislation to assist health care providers.COVID-19 (Disease);Healthcare;Public health--Finance