ADHS response to waiver request
We are pleased to report the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) responded this afternoon to our recent waiver request. ADHS states it will grant 16 blanket waivers through an administrative order.
The response does not grant all the waivers we requested, however. In her response letter today, Dr. Cara Christ states she will schedule a call with AzHHA and her licensing team to learn about the specific needs identified by the hospitals with the remaining waiver requests.
Read the letter from ADHS here.
View the administrative order here.
BCBSAZ, Cigna and United offer COVID-19 through-put assistance
Given the increase in hospitalizations due to COVID-19, Cigna, United and BCBS created the following document that outlines the steps they have taken to ease administrative burden and improve patient throughput to post-acute care. Let us know how we can support you and your hospital during this time.
Portal open to apply for $15 billion in federal funding for Medicaid & CHIP providers
CMS is planning an approximately $15 billion targeted distribution for Medicaid and CHIP providers that did not receive any payments through the General Distributions (see this CMS Fact Sheet for additional criteria). The payment to each provider will equal approximately 2% of reported gross revenue from all payer sources from patient care for CY 2017, or 2018 or 2019, as selected by the applicant and with accompanying submitted tax documentation. Permissible uses of the funds include health-related expenses to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus, as well as lost revenues that are attributable to coronavirus (see FAQs for more information). Applications are due by July 20, 2020, via the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund Portal. Detailed application instructions can be found here. CMS has indicated that these payments will be disbursed on a rolling basis and should be received by providers by the end of August.