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The deadlines for providers to meet the CMS Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination interim final rule (IFR) on vaccination mandates begin next week. 

Skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, and ICF-IIDs must establish a policy ensuring that all eligible staff be vaccinated for COVID-19 or request a medical or religious exemption by the following deadlines: 

To help providers comply with this requirement, AHCA has developed a template policy and procedures on the COVID-19 vaccination mandate. AHCA will also host member-only Office Hours on Friday, December 3 at 2:00 pm with AHCA/NCAL Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Gifford and Vice President of Quality and Programs Courtney Bishnoi to discuss the latest available information about the IRF and answer questions. Registration is required and limited.

Additionally, a recording of the AHCA member-only webinar on implementing religious and medical exemptions is now available.

CMS has recently updated its Frequently Asked Questions on the IRF, which AHCA recommends providers review.

​The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) began releasing the $7.5 billion American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural Distribution last week. ARP Rural payments are being made to providers and suppliers who have served rural Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare beneficiaries from January 1, 2019 through September 30, 2020. 

Every eligible provider that served at least one rural Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP beneficiary will receive funding. Eligibility for the Rural Distribution is based on the number of beneficiaries whose residency is designated as rural rather than the physical location of the provider. 

Approximately 40,000 providers in 50 states, Washington, DC, and six territories will receive ARP Rural payments. HRSA will begin distributing the Phase 4 $17 billion in mid-December. 

HRSA is releasing the Rural Awards on a rolling basis. State-by-state total awards for all health care providers are available here. The data is currently organized by total provider awards. Provider type (e.g., SNF and AL) specific amounts are not yet available. Provider specific awards may be located by provider name and zip code. 

As with other awards, within 90 days of receiving a payment, recipients must sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds and agreeing to the Terms and Conditions of payment by re-entering the Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Application and Attestation Portal. If a recipient chooses to reject the funds, they must also complete the attestation to indicate this and return the funds within 15 calendar days.

If providers believe their Rural Award was made in error, HRSA’s calculation methodology is available for review. Questions about ARP Rural Awards should be directed to the Provider Support Line at (866) 569-3522 (for TTY dial 711).

HRSA continues to indicate it will begin releasing the $17 billion in Phase 4 awards on a rolling basis in mid-December. Many ARP Rural payment recipients will also be eligible for additional funding through the $17 billion PRF Phase 4 opportunity that was also made available during the same time period. Providers could apply for both opportunities through a single application.

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HRSA expects to begin releasing PRF Phase 4 payments in December 2021. Similar to the ARP Rural payments, HRSA plans to send individual communications to providers when final payment determinations are made. Providers with questions about the Phase 4 and ARP Rural application process should contact the Provider Support Line at (866) 569-3522 (for TTY dial 711).

​​CMS is issuing an 1135 waiver for directors of food and nutrition services, granting an extension on certain requirements that previously would have hit a deadline as of Sunday, November 28. The 1135 waiver is for 42 CFR 483.60(a)(1) and 483.60(a)(2), which require: 

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It has been unusually challenging for these requirements to be met due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). Therefore, CMS is waiving this requirement due to the inability for individuals to enroll in, attend, or complete a certification program during the pandemic. AHCA anticipates this waiver will be in place through the PHE, which is currently set to last through January 16, 2022. Members should continue to pursue training for individuals serving in this role to be in compliance when the waiver ends.

With an explosion of telehealth usage across the Commonwealth, VHCA-VCAL has partnered with VDH and the Virginia Telehealth Network to understand the impact on patients and providers and to better understand Virginia’s current and future needs with virtual care.

Please take a few moments to share your insights, which will be used to inform policymaking both locally and statewide.

This survey will take approximately 5 minutes to complete and will close on December 1, 2021.

This survey is funded by grant funds from the Commonwealth of Virginia. It has been reviewed by the VDH Institutional Review Board (IRB) (Study #50253) and has been determined approved for IRB exemption. For questions, please contact [email protected].

If you are interested in learning more about equity and telehealth in Virginia or have a success story you’d like to share about your experience using telehealth with your patients, click here.

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