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Tag: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)

CMS Notifies Individuals Potentially Impacted by WPS Data Breach

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in Medicare, News.

On September 6, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that CMS and its contractor, Wisconsin Physician Service Insurance Corporation (WPS), have begun the process of notifying nearly a million Medicare beneficiaries that were potentially impacted by a data breach involving WPS.

The data breach involved WPS’ use of the third-party application MOVEit.  MOVEit is a file transfer application developed by Progress Software.  In May 2023, a hacker group called CL0P discovered a security vulnerability that allowed the company to steal sensitive information from secure databases used by numerous governmental agencies and corporations.  This included the protected health information (PHI) of Medicare beneficiaries and non-Medicare beneficiaries stored within WPS’ databases.

The notices inform affected Medicare beneficiaries of the steps they can take to protect themselves.  As part of its remedial efforts, WPS is offering affected Medicare beneficiaries one year of free credit monitoring from Experian.

CMS indicated that it was not aware of any reported incidents of fraud or improper use of a Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI).  However, CMS noted that, if the beneficiary’s MBI was potentially impacted, they would mail a new Medicare card with a new MBI to the patient.  Thus, the data breach has the potential to impact the patient demographic information you currently maintain within your billing systems.  This is especially true for AAA Members that operate in Medicare jurisdictions currently administered by WPS (Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, and Nebraska).  Specifically, the MBIs on file for existing patients may no longer be accurate.  This also has the potential to impact Medicare eligibility information that you receive from other parties like hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, etc.

AAA Members will have to make a business judgment on how to address these potential concerns.  One possible option would be to implement a process to confirm the MBI of existing patients prior to the submission of new claims.  Another possible option might be to implement internal procedures to flag claims that are denied for an incorrect MBI as potentially related to this issue, and to then verify the patient’s correct MBI prior to resubmitting any denied claims.

CMS Schedules ODF for August 1, 2024 | CY 2025 PFS

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in News.

CMS header
The next CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum scheduled for:

Date: Thursday, August 1, 2024

Start Time: 2:00pm-3:00pm PM Eastern Time (ET);

Please log in at least 15 minutes before call start time.

Conference Leaders: Jill Darling, Maria Durham

**This Agenda is Subject to Change**

  1. Opening Remarks

Chair- Maria Durham, Director, Division of Data Analysis and Market Based Pricing

Moderator – Jill Darling (Office of Communications)

  1. Announcements & Updates
  1. Ambulance Fee Schedule Proposal in the Calendar Year 2025 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule
    1. CY 2025 PFS proposed rule
  1. Update on the Ambulances Services Center Website
    1. https://www.cms.gov/medicare/coverage/ambulances-services-center

III. Open Q&A

**DATE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE**

Next Ambulance Open Door Forum: TBA

ODF email: AMBULANCEODF@cms.hhs.gov

———————————————————————

This Open Door Forum is open to everyone, but if you are a member of the Press, you may listen in but please refrain from asking questions during the Q & A portion of the call. If you have inquiries, please contact CMS at Press@cms.hhs.gov. Thank you.

NEW and UPDATED Open Door Forum Participation Instructions:

This call will be a Zoom webinar with registration and login instructions below.

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_vfsU5LSKR3atiW9T_AhrDg

Meeting ID: 160 823 4591

Passcode: 200020

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. You may also add the webinar to your calendar using the drop-down arrow on the “Webinar Registration Approved” webpage after registering. Although the ODFs are now a Zoom webinar, we will only use the audio function, no need for cameras to be on.

For ODF schedule updates and E-Mailing List registration, visit our website at http://www.cms.gov/OpenDoorForums/.

Were you unable to attend the recent Ambulance ODF call? We encourage you to visit our CMS Podcasts and Transcript webpage where you can listen and view the most recent Ambulance ODF call. The webinar recording and transcript will be posted to: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/OpenDoorForums/PodcastAndTranscripts.html.

CMS provides free auxiliary aids and services including information in accessible formats. Click here for more information. This will point partners to our CMS.gov version of the “Accessibility & Nondiscrimination notice” page. Thank you.
CMS Open Door Forum Footer

4/11 CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

The next CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum scheduled for:
Date: Thursday, April 11, 2024
Start Time: 2:00pm-3:00pm PM Eastern Time (ET);
Please dial-in at least 15 minutes before call start time.
Conference Leaders: Jill Darling, Maria Durham

**This Agenda is Subject to Change**
I. Opening Remarks
Chair- Maria Durham, Director, Division of Data Analysis and Market Based Pricing
Moderator – Jill Darling (Office of Communications)
II. Announcements & Updates
1. Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS)
III. Open Q&A

**DATE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE**
Next Ambulance Open Door Forum: TBA
ODF email: AMBULANCEODF@cms.hhs.gov
———————————————————————
This Open Door Forum is open to everyone, but if you are a member of the Press,
you may listen in but please refrain from asking questions during the Q & A portion of
the call. If you have inquiries, please contact CMS at Press@cms.hhs.gov. Thank
you.

NEW and UPDATED Open Door Forum Participation Instructions:
This call will be a Zoom webinar with registration and login instructions below.
Register in advance for this webinar:
https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_vfsU5LSKR3atiW9T_AhrDg
Meeting ID: 160 823 4591
Passcode: 200020
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about
joining the webinar. You may also add the webinar to your calendar using the dropdown arrow on the “Webinar Registration Approved” webpage after registering.’

Although the ODFs are now a Zoom webinar, we will only use the audio function, no need for cameras to be on.
For ODF schedule updates and E-Mailing List registration, visit our website at http://www.cms.gov/OpenDoorForums/.

Were you unable to attend the recent Ambulance ODF call? We encourage you to visit our CMS Podcasts and Transcript webpage where you can listen and view the most recent Ambulance ODF call. The webinar recording and transcript will be posted to: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-andEducation/Outreach/OpenDoorForums/PodcastAndTranscripts.html.

CMS provides free auxiliary aids and services including information in accessible formats. Click here for more information. This will point partners to our CMS.gov version of the “Accessibility & Nondiscrimination notice” page. Thank you.

CMS Announced Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments in Response to Change Healthcare Cyberattack

Written by Brian Werfel on . Posted in News, Private Insurance.

On March 9, 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the creation of the Change Healthcare/Optum Payment Disruption (CHOPD) Program.  Under the CHOPD Program, CMS will make accelerated payments to Part A providers and advance payments to Part B suppliers that have experienced claims disruptions as a result of the Change Healthcare cyberattack.

Under the CHOPD Program, qualifying providers and suppliers will be eligible to apply for and receive Medicare advances of up to 30 days of their average Medicare payments.  Applications for payment advances must be made to the provider’s or supplier’s Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC).  The 30-day payment advance will be based on the average Medicare payments to the provider or supplier between August 1, 2023 and October 31, 2023.  Specifically, CMS will compute the total amounts paid to the provider during this period, and then divide by 3 to arrive at the 30-day average amount.

Advance payments received through the CHOPD Program are considered a loan.  Therefore, these amounts must be repaid through offsets against future Medicare payments.  Recoupments will commence on the date the advance payments are received by the provider or supplier.  These recoupments will be equal to 100% of future payments, and will continue until the earlier to occur of: (1) the full repayment of the advance payment or (2) 90 days.  In the event a balance remains after 90 days, the MAC will generate a demand notice for the outstanding balance, which must be repaid within 30 days.  If the provider does not repay the outstanding balance within that period, interest will start to accrue on the outstanding balance.

Providers and suppliers with multiple National Provider Identifiers (NPIs) may be eligible for multiple advance payments.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for advance payments, a provider or supplier must meet the following requirements:

  1. Advance payments may be requested for individual providers or suppliers, i.e., a unique NPIs and Medicare ID (PTAN) combination.
  2. The provider or supplier must not currently be receiving Periodic Interim Payments.
  3. The provider or supplier must make the following certifications:
  4. The provider/supplier must certify that they have experienced a disruption in claims payment or submission due to a business relationship the provider/supplier has with Change Healthcare or another entity that uses Change Healthcare, or the provider’s/supplier’s third-party payers have with Change Healthcare or another entity that uses Change Healthcare.
  5. The provider/supplier must not be able to submit claims to receive claims payments from Medicare.
  6. The provider/supplier has been unable to obtain sufficient funding from other available sources to cover the disruption in claims payment, processing, or submission attributable to the cyberattack
  7. The provider/supplier does not intend to cease business operations and is presently not insolvent.
  8. The provider/supplier, if currently in bankruptcy, will alert CMS about this status and include case information.
  9. Based on its information, knowledge and belief, the provider/supplier is not aware that the provider/supplier or a parent, subsidiary, or related entity of the provider/supplier is under an active healthcare-related program integrity investigation in which the provider/supplier or a parent, subsidiary, or related entity of the provider/supplier: (1) is under investigation for potential False Claims Act violations related to a federal healthcare program; (2) is a defendant in state or federal civil or criminal action (including a qui tam False Claims Act action either filed by the Department of Justice or in which the Department of Justice has intervened; or (3) has been notified by a state or federal agency that it is a subject of a civil or criminal investigation or Medicare program integrity administrative action; or (3) has been notified that it is the subject of a program integrity investigation by a licensed health insurance issuer’s special investigative unit.
  10. The provider/supplier is enrolled in the Medicare program had has not been revoked, deactivated, precluded, or excluded by CMS or the HHS Office of the Inspector General.
  11. The provider/supplier does not have any delinquent Medicare debts.
  12. The provider/supplier is not on a Medicare payment hold or payment suspension.
  13. The provider/supplier will use the funds for the operations of the specific provider/supplier for which they were requested.

To the extent a provider or supplier is approved for an advance payment, they must then execute a Terms and Conditions document acknowledging the following:

  1. That the funds were advanced from the Medicare Trust Fund, and represent an advance on claims payments.
  2. The accelerated and advance payment is not a loan, and cannot be forgiven, indebtedness cannot be reduced, and there are no flexibilities regarding repayment timelines. CMSI will use its standard recoupment procedures to recover these amounts.
  3. Repayment will commence immediately via 100% recoupment of Medicare claims payment owed to the provider/supplier, as the provider/supplier submits claims and claims are processed, after the date on which the payment is granted. Recoupment will continue for a period of 90 days.
  4. A demand will be issued for any remaining balance on Day 91 following the issuance of the advance payment.
  5. Interest will start to accrue 30 days after a demand is issued consistent with the interest rate established under applicable interest authorities.
  6. CMS will proceed directly to demand the advance payments if any certifications or acknowledgements are found to be falsified.
  7. Grant of an advance payment is not guaranteed and payments will not be issued once the disruption to claims servicing is remediated, regardless of when a request is received. CMS may terminate the program at any time.
  8. CMS maintains the right to conduct post payment audits related to any advance payments issued under this program.

CMS Statement on Continued Action to Respond to the Cyberattack on Change Healthcare

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Legislative, News, Private Insurance.

From the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on March 9

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is continuing to monitor and assess the impact that the cyberattack on UnitedHealth Group’s subsidiary Change Healthcare has had on all provider and supplier types. Today, CMS is announcing that, in addition to considering applications for accelerated payments for Medicare Part A providers, we will also be considering applications for advance payments for Part B suppliers.

Over the last few days, we have continued to meet with health plans, providers and suppliers to hear about their most pressing concerns. As announced previously, we have directed our Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) to expedite actions needed for providers and suppliers to change the clearinghouse they use and to accept paper claims if providers need to use that method. We will continue to respond to provider and supplier inquiries regarding MAC processes.

CMS also recognizes that many Medicaid providers are deeply affected by the impact of the cyberattack. We are continuing to work closely with States and are urging Medicaid managed care plans to make prospective payments to impacted providers, as well.

All MACs will provide public information on how to submit a request for a Medicare accelerated or advance payment on their websites as early as today, Saturday, March 9.

CMS looks forward to continuing to support the provider community during this difficult situation. All affected providers should reach out to health plans and other payers for assistance with the disruption. CMS has encouraged Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations to offer advance funding to providers affected by this cyberattack. The rules governing CMS’s payments to MA organizations and Part D sponsors remain unchanged. Please note that nothing in this statement speaks to the arrangements between MA organizations or Part D sponsors and their contracted providers or facilities.

For more information view the Fact Sheet: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/change-healthcare/optum-payment-disruption-chopd-accelerated-payments-part-providers-and-advance

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CMS Finalizes Rule to Expand Access to Health Information and Improve the Prior Auth Process

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

From CMS.gov

Final rule modernizes the health care system and reduces patient and provider burden by streamlining the prior authorization process 

As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing commitment to increasing health data exchange and strengthening access to care, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule (CMS-0057-F) today. The rule sets requirements for Medicare Advantage (MA) organizations, Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) fee-for-service (FFS) programs, Medicaid managed care plans, CHIP managed care entities, and issuers of Qualified Health Plans (QHPs) offered on the Federally-Facilitated Exchanges (FFEs), (collectively “impacted payers”), to improve the electronic exchange of health information and prior authorization processes for medical items and services. Together, these policies will improve prior authorization processes and reduce burden on patients, providers, and payers, resulting in approximately $15 billion of estimated savings over ten years.

“When a doctor says a patient needs a procedure, it is essential that it happens in a timely manner,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Too many Americans are left in limbo, waiting for approval from their insurance company. Today the Biden-Harris Administration is announcing strong action that will shorten these wait times by streamlining and better digitizing the approval process.”

“CMS is committed to breaking down barriers in the health care system to make it easier for doctors and nurses to provide the care that people need to stay healthy,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “Increasing efficiency and enabling health care data to flow freely and securely between patients, providers, and payers and streamlining prior authorization processes supports better health outcomes and a better health care experience for all.”

While prior authorization can help ensure medical care is necessary and appropriate, it can sometimes be an obstacle to necessary patient care when providers must navigate complex and widely varying payer requirements or face long waits for prior authorization decisions. This final rule establishes requirements for certain payers to streamline the prior authorization process and complements the Medicare Advantage requirements finalized in the Contract Year (CY) 2024 MA and Part D final rule, which add continuity of care requirements and reduce disruptions for beneficiaries. Beginning primarily in 2026, impacted payers (not including QHP issuers on the FFEs) will be required to send prior authorization decisions within 72 hours for expedited (i.e., urgent) requests and seven calendar days for standard (i.e., non-urgent) requests for medical items and services. For some payers, this new timeframe for standard requests cuts current decision timeframes in half. The rule also requires all impacted payers to include a specific reason for denying a prior authorization request, which will help facilitate resubmission of the request or an appeal when needed. Finally, impacted payers will be required to publicly report prior authorization metrics, similar to the metrics Medicare FFS already makes available.

The rule also requires impacted payers to implement a Health Level 7 (HL7®) Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR®) Prior Authorization application programming interface (API), which can be used to facilitate a more efficient electronic prior authorization process between providers and payers by automating the end-to-end prior authorization process. Medicare FFS has already implemented an electronic prior authorization API, demonstrating the efficiencies other payers could realize by implementing such an API. Together, these new requirements for the prior authorization process will reduce administrative burden on the healthcare workforce, empower clinicians to spend more time providing direct care to their patients, and prevent avoidable delays in care for patients.

In response to feedback received on multiple rules and extensive stakeholder outreach HHS will be announcing the use of enforcement discretion for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) X12 278 prior authorization transaction standard to further promote efficiency in the prior authorization process. Covered entities that implement an all-FHIR-based Prior Authorization API pursuant to the CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization Final Rule (CMS-0057-F) who do not use the X12 278 standard as part of their API implementation will not be enforced against under HIPAA Administrative Simplification, thus allowing limited flexibility for covered entities to use a FHIR-only or FHIR and X12 combination API to meet the requirements of the CMS Interoperability and Prior Authorization final rule. Covered entities may also choose to make available an X12-only prior authorization transaction. HHS will continue to evaluate the HIPAA prior authorization transaction standards for future rulemaking.

CMS is also finalizing API requirements to increase health data exchange and foster a more efficient health care system for all. CMS values public input and considered the comments submitted by the public, including patients, providers, and payers, in finalizing the rule. Informed by these public comments, CMS is delaying the dates for compliance with the API policies from generally January 1, 2026, to January 1, 2027. In addition to the Prior Authorization API, beginning January 2027, impacted payers will be required to expand their current Patient Access API to include information about prior authorizations and to implement a Provider Access API that providers can use to retrieve their patients’ claims, encounter, clinical, and prior authorization data. Also informed by public comments on previous payer-to-payer data exchange policies, we are requiring impacted payers to exchange, with a patient’s permission, most of those same data using a Payer-to-Payer FHIR API when a patient moves between payers or has multiple concurrent payers.

Finally, the rule also adds a new Electronic Prior Authorization measure for eligible clinicians under the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Promoting Interoperability performance category and eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program to report their use of payers’ Prior Authorization APIs to submit an electronic prior authorization request. Together, these policies will help to create a more efficient prior authorization process and support better access to health information and timely, high-quality care.

The final rule is available to review here: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cms-0057-f.pdf.

The fact sheet for this final rule is available here: https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/cms-interoperability-and-prior-authorization-final-rule-cms-0057-f.

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AAA Encourages CMS to Consider Revised Innovation Model for Treatment in Place

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

Washington, DC— While the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has decided to end the Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model two years early on December 31, 2023, the American Ambulance Association (AAA) remains committed to working with CMS on all future efforts to design programs that fully utilize the ground ambulance services in the delivery of mobile healthcare services. CMS made the decision to end the model “due to lower than expected participation and lower than projected interventions.”

The AAA is encouraged that CMS has stated that, “the lessons learned from the ET3 Model can aid in the development of potential future initiatives.”  Our members are committed to supporting such future efforts to make sure that the requirements support true treatment in place and recognize the unique needs of rural ground ambulance services and the communities they serve.  Moreover, we encourage CMS to work with the AAA to move forward with alternative destination as a permanent policy based not only on the lessons learned from the ET3 model, but also those garnered as a result of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) waiver. The AAA continues to support efforts to refine the Medicare ground ambulance emergency benefit to support delivering pre-hospital services to the patients who need them at the time they need them and where they need them.

7/27 CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

From CMS on July 19, 2023

CMS Open Door Forum

The next CMS Ambulance Open Door Forum scheduled for:

Date:  Thursday, July 27, 2023

Start Time:  2:00pm-3:00pm PM Eastern Time (ET);

Please dial-in at least 15 minutes before call start time.

Conference Leaders: Jill Darling, Maria Durham 

**This Agenda is Subject to Change**

  1. Opening Remarks

Chair- Maria Durham, Director, Division of Data Analysis and Market Based Pricing

Moderator – Jill Darling (Office of Communications)

Announcements & Updates

  1. Ground Ambulance & Patient Billing Advisory Committee Meeting Announcement
  2. Update on Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model
  3. Medicare Ground Ambulance Data Collection System (GADCS): Proposed Changes in the CY 2024 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
    1. Slide presentation will be available at: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/ambulance-fee-schedule-zip-code-files/ambulance-events
  4. Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023:  Division FF, section 4103: Extension of Add-On Payments for Ambulance Services

III. Open Q&A

**DATE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE**

Next Ambulance Open Door Forum: TBA

ODF email: AMBULANCEODF@cms.hhs.gov

———————————————————————

This Open Door Forum is open to everyone, but if you are a member of the Press, you may listen in but please refrain from asking questions during the Q & A portion of the call. If you have inquiries, please contact CMS at Press@cms.hhs.gov. Thank you.

NEW and UPDATED Open Door Forum Participation Instructions:

This call will be a Zoom webinar with registration and login instructions below.

Register in advance for this webinar:

https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_Sq7TP07ESqiGuvE0M00xIg

Webinar ID: 161 099 7532

Passcode: 131371

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. You may also add the webinar to your calendar using the drop-down arrow on the “Webinar Registration Approved” webpage after registering. Although the ODFs are now a Zoom webinar, we will only use the audio function, no need for cameras to be on.

For ODF schedule updates and E-Mailing List registration, visit our website at http://www.cms.gov/OpenDoorForums/.

Were you unable to attend the recent Ambulance ODF call? We encourage you to visit our CMS Podcasts and Transcript webpage where you can listen and view the most recent Ambulance ODF call. The webinar recording and transcript will be posted to: https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Outreach/OpenDoorForums/PodcastAndTranscripts.html.

CMS provides free auxiliary aids and services including information in accessible formats. Click here for more information. This will point partners to our CMS.gov version of the “Accessibility & Nondiscrimination notice” page. Thank you.

CMS Open Door Forum Footer

CMMI Notice of Termination of the Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport Model

Written by Meghan Winesett on . Posted in ET3.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) has announced the agency will end the ET3 Model pilot program early, on December 31, 2023, which is two years prior to the ET3 Model Participation Agreement’s original Performance Period end date. CMS has been reaching out to ambulance services participating in the program notifying them of the early termination. Please find the notice being sent to participants linked below. 

Notice of Early Termination of the ET3 Model

 

CMS | Updates to Coverage for COVID-19 Tests

Written by AAA Staff on . Posted in Regulatory.

The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency is to end on May 11, 2023. The ending of the Public Health Emergency may impact an individual’s coverage of COVID-19 tests. We encourage you to know these changes and share the New Consumer Fact Sheet on COVID-19 tests.

Consumer Fact Sheets:

Before May 11, 2023

If you have any type of health insurance, you can get up to eight over-the-counter tests per month with no out-of-pocket costs. Over-the-counter tests are available in most pharmacies and may also be available online for delivery.

After May 11, 2023

Laboratory tests for COVID-19 that are ordered by your provider will still be covered with no out-of-pocket costs for people with Medicare. Over-the-counter tests will still be available, but there may be out-of-pocket costs. Coverage of over-the-counter tests may vary by your insurance type, as described below.

What does this mean for Medicare Beneficiaries?

Generally, Medicare doesn’t cover or pay for over-the counter products. The demonstration that has allowed us to offer coverage for COVID-19 over-the-counter tests at no cost ends on May 11, 2023.

However, if you are enrolled in Medicare Part B, you will continue to have coverage with no out-of-pocket costs for appropriate laboratory-based COVID-19 PCR and antigen tests, when a provider orders them (such as drive-through PCR and antigen testing or testing in a provider’s office).

If you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, you may have more access to tests depending on your benefits. Check with your plan.

What does this mean for people with Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program?

If you have coverage through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program, you will have access to COVID-19 over-the-counter and laboratory testing through September 30, 2024. After that date, coverage of testing may vary by state.

What does this mean for people with Private Insurance?

If you have private insurance, coverage will vary depending on your health plan. However, private plans won’t be required by federal law to cover over-the counter and laboratory-based COVID-19 tests after

May 11, 2023. If your insurance chooses to cover COVID-19 testing, they may require cost sharing, prior authorization, or other forms of medical management.

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