Individuals in the commonwealth not currently enrolled in a health plan now have until June 23 to enroll. Due to COVID-19, the Division of Insurance (DOI) had announced a limited-time special enrollment period with an original deadline of April 25. That deadline was then extended to May 25, and now, through a bulletin released last week, the deadline has been extended to June 23. The extension does not allow individuals to switch plans; it’s strictly for those without coverage to get coverage.

DOI also has been continuing its series of weekly calls with healthcare providers to address questions and concerns about waivers and other flexibilities implemented for commercial health insurance companies since Governor Baker declared a state of emergency in March. Current focus is on clarification of COVID-19 testing coverage, billing codes, and reimbursement. As the state pushes to expand testing, there has been much confusion around coverage for asymptomatic individuals, the need for a clinician referral, the different coding requirements used by different carriers, and the level of reimbursement. Distinguishing between coverage/criteria for antibody testing versus PCR testing has also been a topic of discussion. (PCR tests are used to directly detect the presence of an antigen, rather than the presence of the body's immune response, or antibodies.) Compliance with Massachusetts executive orders particularly by some national plans has been another area of provider concern that DOI is addressing.

The Mass. Region1 Partnership for Regional Disaster Health Response (RDHRS) is field-testing a prototype disaster telemedicine system. The federally funded project seeks to develop a national model to address clinical challenges during disasters through the use of telemedicine. The RDHRS developed a prototype disaster telemedicine system to rapidly expand regional access to specialists in under-resourced communities. The field test provides peer-to-peer, on-demand, tele-ICU consultation service for community hospitals during the COVID-19 crisis. This will help the partnership learn how to rapidly deploy and sustain this system for real-world use. Hospitals interested in participating in the field test can contact project leader Dr. Tehnaz Boyle at Boston Medical Center at Tehnaz.Boyle@bmc.org.

Joint Commission surveys are serious endeavors, requiring an all-hands-on-board response by hospitals as they move through the thorough and demanding accreditation process. But the surveys have been on hold for months due to COVID-19. Last week, the Joint Commission announced it was resuming its surveys – with conditions. For instance the commission will limit the number of individuals in group sessions; minimize the number of people who accompany the surveyor on tracer activities; expect facilities to provide surveyors masks and other PPE; and drive separate cars to off-site locations or home visits.

 

The fifth annual summit of the Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care takes place, virtually, on Monday, June 22 at 12:30 p.m., via Zoom. Register by visiting here.

The Executive Office of Health and Human Services is giving provider organizations additional time to meet submission requirements of the Mass HIway regulations. The attestation deadline has been extended to December 31, 2020. The new attestation window will run from August 1, 2020, to December 31, 2020. Acute care hospital Year 4 fines are waived. In 2019 acute care hospitals were in Year 4 and were required to send and receive use cases using HIway Direct Messaging by December 31, 2019. EOHHS is waiving fines for acute care hospitals that did not meet this requirement. However, these organizations are still expected to submit attestation or exception forms by December 31, 2020. Read the EOHHS bulletin here.