Greetings!

This message includes:
  • a link to a new, short VDH survey on vaccine uptake, which we encourage you to take;
  • guidance on how to dispose of BinaxNow cards;
  • information on how to request and extended repayment schedule for your Medicare AAP; and
  • an updated resource on the Medicare 3-Day Stay waivers.
 
I also want to be sure you’ve seen the information we sent on Friday about requesting additional vaccine doses for any staff or residents who were not vaccinated during your clinics. Here is the direct link to the REdCap form: https://redcap.link/VaccineLTCFs.Virginia.gov. 

Sincerely,

April Payne, MBA, LNHA
Vice President of Quality Improvement | Director of VCAL
Virginia Health Care Association | Virginia Center for Assisted Living 
VDH Survey on COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake in LTCFs
 
VDH has developed a survey to collect accurate census data and vaccine uptake in staff and residents of long term care facilities (LTCFs). This will allow VDH to calculate vaccine uptake rates in LTCFs in Virginia and determine the kind of educational and outreach material the agency can develop around vaccine hesitancy.
 
In order to best estimate vaccine uptake and help plan for remaining vaccine distribution in our 1A and 1B population, VDH is asking all facilities to complete this survey as soon as possible.
Please reach out to [email protected] if you have any questions.
Guidance on Expired and Unused BinaxNOW cards
 
Expired and unused BinaxNOW cards can be discarded in regular trash. They do not need to be discarded as biohazard material. VDH confirmed this with Abbott this week.
 
Two related notes:
  • VDH still has Abbott BinaxNOW rapid antigen test cards available for you. You can submit a request for these testing cards to [email protected] and [email protected].
  • If you no longer wish to receive periodic direct shipments of these test cards from the US Department of Health and Human Services and would like to cancel those allocations, please submit the cancellation request to [email protected].
Medicare AAP: How to Request an
Extended Repayment Schedule
 
Medicare Advance and Accelerated Payments (AAP) repayment terms include:  
  • Repayment begins one year from the date the accelerated or advance payment was issued.  
  • Beginning one year from the date the payment was issued and continuing for 11 months, Medicare payments owed to providers and suppliers will be recouped at a rate of 25 percent. 
  • After the 11 months, Medicare payments owed to providers and suppliers will be recouped at a rate of 50 percent for another six months.  
 
Ability to Submit ERS Applications 
 
After the six months (29 months from the initial AAP), MACs will issue letters for the remaining balance of the accelerated or advance payment(s). If a letter requiring reimbursement is issued, providers and suppliers will have 30 days from the date of the letter to repay the balance in full. If payment is not received within 30 days, interest will accrue at the rate of four percent from the date the letter was issued and will be assessed for each full 30-day period that the balance remains unpaid.
 
Information related to Extended Repayment Schedules (ERS) will be included in these letters. For information on establishing an ERS, scroll down to section 50 (page 45) of the Medicare Financial Management manual. Providers and suppliers will only be able to request ERSs after the 30-day demand letters are issued.
Updated Medicare 3-Day Stay and Benefit Period Waivers Fact Sheet and FAQs
 
AHCA/NCAL recently updated the COVID-19-related 3-Day Stay and Benefit-Period Waivers for Medicare Part A SNF PPS fact sheet and FAQ. Key updates to the file consist of a notification that the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), which can be extended in 90-day increments, was recently extended through at least April 21, 2021. Additionally, a link to an AHCA/NCAL 45-minute webinar on these waivers and 11 new AHCA/NCAL-developed FAQs providing additional clarifications on common waiver-related questions submitted are included.  
 
Examples of topics covered in the updated fact sheet and new FAQs include: 
 
  • ​Will Medicare Part A cover asymptomatic beneficiaries that have a positive COVID-19 test result or have received the COVID-19 vaccine and have had a reaction?  
  • Various waiver-related coverage and billing scenarios. 
 
Providers are encouraged to review these updates and share with applicable clinical and billing staff.
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