COVID-19 Hub

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We are following the developments of the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) and the monitoring by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  We will continue to collect and share information and resources on this page to support our renal healthcare professionals and facilities.  


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CDC Resources

CDC Situation Summary 
This is a rapidly evolving situation and CDC will provide updated information as it becomes available, in addition to updated guidance. Updated daily.

CDC Information for Healthcare Professionals 
Includes information and guidance for persons under investigation (PUI), clinical care, infection control, protective equipment, and home care guidance. 

Nursing Home COVID-19 Data Dashboard - updated 1/20/21


    CDC Information and Resources for Hemodialysis Facilities and Patients 



    CDC Information for Healthcare Facilities 
    Resources for clinics and healthcare facilities to prepare and respond to the community spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). 


    Additional CDC Resource Links
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    CMS Resources

    CMS Current Emergencies Website 
    Visit this page to keep up with the important work CMS is doing in response to Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).

    CMS - Re-Opening Healthcare Facilities 

    CMS - Coronavirus Waivers & Flexibilities 

    CMS Relief for Quality Reporting Programs - CROWNWeb and QIP info included
    • Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System Updates - FAQ - 4/24/20
    • Announcement - 3/22/20
    • Provider Enrollment Relief FAQ - 3/23/20
    • The NRAA government affairs team has outlined details included in reference to CROWNWeb and QIP reporting:
      • For 2019, deadlines for October 1, 2019 -December 31, 2019 (Q4) data submissions are optional. If Q4 data is submitted, it will be used to calculate payment (where appropriate). If Q4 data is not able to be submitted, then 2019 performance will be calculated based on data from January 1, 2019 - September 30, 2019 (Q1 - Q3) and available data.
      • For 2020, CMS will not count data from January 1, 2020 through January 30, 2020 (Q1 - Q2) for performance or payment programs. Therefore, facilities do NOT need to submit data for this time period.

    CMS New Targeted Plan for Healthcare Facility Inspections - 3/23/20
    CMS Clinical and Technical Guidance for Health Care Facilities

    Medicare and Other Coverage Guidance

    Medicaid and Childrens' Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Resources

    CMS Coronavirus (COVID-19) Partner Toolkit     - updated 3/19/20
    CMS has developed this toolkit to help you stay informed on CMS and HHS materials available on the COVID-19. Please share these materials, bookmark the page, and check back often for the most up-to-date information. 

    CMS Podcasts and Transcripts 
    Page to listen to the audio files and read transcripts for the COVID-19 Stakeholder calls.

    For CMS Issued Materials on Medicare Telehealth - Click Here 

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    Telehealth Guidance

    As you know, telemedicine and virtual care has become a key resource in the COVID-19 strategy. CMS and private payers have taken significant steps in recent days to provide coverage, privacy and payment guidance on the use of telemedicine (including phone calls).  The NRAA team has assembled the following list of resources:

    Press Releases

    The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) released an Express message that includes: 

    CMS Issued Materials on Medicaid & CHIP Telehealth:

    CMS Issued Materials on Medicare Telehealth: 


    HIPAA:  Effective immediately, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will exercise enforcement discretion and waive penalties for HIPAA violations against health care providers that serve patients in good faith through everyday communications technologies, such as FaceTime or Skype, during the COVID-19 nationwide public health emergency. 


    Telehealth Legal Resources 


    Practice Guidelines & Additional Telehealth Resources

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    Other Resources

    Agency Updates 

    CARES Act 
    Attestation Portal is Open - 4/16/20 
    • Providers who have been allocated a payment from the initial $30 billion general distribution must sign an attestation confirming receipt of the funds. 
    HHS Announces Immediate Infusion of $30 Billion into Healthcare System - 4/9/20

    Other Resources

    Transportation and Cleaning 
    resources received from Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER)

    Training Materials

    National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC)
    Collaboration between Emory University, University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine and the New York Health and Hospital Corporation, Bellevue Hospital Center. 

    NETEC offers a variety of online training and resources including: 

    Online Training - World Health Organization (Free, must create an OpenWHO account)


    Infection Prevention 

    CDC Resources 

    Other Resources
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    Mental Wellness

    FOR EVERYONE

    FOR COMMUNITIES

    FOR FAMILIES AND CHILDREN

    FOR PATIENTS

    The Coalition for Supportive Care for Kidney Patients has developed communication tools and resources to help clinicians respond to patients who are feeling stress, vulnerable, and scared during this pandemic.

    Additional Communication Tools for Patients and Families


    FOR PROVIDERS AND HEALTHCARE WORKERS


    FOR FIRST RESPONDERS 



    PAST EVENTS

    PCSS Clinical Roundtable - Taking Care of Yourself Using Mindfulness and Other Techniques = 4/23/20

    Managing Your Healthcare Providers' Mental and Physical Wellness in the Time of COVID-19 - 4/29/20
    Presented by Sepsis Alliance 

    CDC: Psychological First Aid: Addressing Mental Health Distress During Disasters - 4/22/20
    Hosted by CDC Emergency Partners Information Connection (EPIC)
    Presentation Slides 

    Managing Your Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic - 4/7/20
    Presented by Society of Critical Care Medicine
    Recording Available Here 

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    Latest Discussions List

    • Profile Picture

      RE: 2023 and 2024 Annual Conference Archives

      By: Nishant Jalandhara , 23 hours ago
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Thanks All, I will personally add RHA to my reference list :) on the talk. ------------------------------ Nishant Jalandhara Medical Director Sundance Home Dialysis HURST TX 316-6650703 ------------------------------ More

    • Profile Picture

      RE: 2023 and 2024 Annual Conference Archives

      By: Peggy Bushey , yesterday
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Nishant, I presented on that topic (Opening a Home Dialysis Unit" in 2021. I have attached the slide set. You may be able to sue some of the information. Good luck. Peggy Bushey BSN RN CDN Accreditation and Regulatory Principal ... More

    • Profile Picture

      RE: 2023 and 2024 Annual Conference Archives

      By: Deb Cote , yesterday
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Nishant, I should have also mentioned that the Core Curriculum for Renal Healthcare Administrators has good information on home dialysis as well. ------------------------------ Deb Cote, MSN, RN, CNN, NE-BC Diality, Inc. dcote@diality.com ------ ... More

    • Profile Picture

      RE: 2023 and 2024 Annual Conference Archives

      By: Deb Cote , yesterday
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Nishant, When you are in Voices, the blue ribbon at the top: choose education station, it will ask you to sign in with your RHA info, on the left you can search by topic, there is an option for "Home" where you might find the information you are looking ... More

    • Profile Picture

      RE: MSW

      By: Trudy Rister , yesterday
      Posted in: Voices Community

      In the state of Louisiana, LCSW is required. MSW is allowed if supervised by a LCSW Trudy Rister, RN,CNN Lady of The Sea Dialysis Center 17108 West Main Street Cut Off, LA 70345 PH. 985-632-4900 FAX 985-632-4907 trudyr@lo ... More

    • Profile Picture

      RE: MSW

      By: Jayesh Shukla , yesterday
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Hi Robyn, The conditions of coverage talk about credentialing Medical Staff (MD, NP, PA etc.). As you mentioned, dialysis units don't separately bill for social worker services. Credentialing MSW isn't required. Perhaps you could ... More

    • Profile Picture

      RE: MSW

      By: Alice Luehr , yesterday
      Posted in: Voices Community

      The conditions of coverage just mention a MSW but does not specify the MSW is a LCSW. Look at page 20423 and 20424 "Comment: Several commenters suggested that we add a social worker licensure requirement to § 494.140(d)(2). Response: The proposed rule ... More

    • Profile Picture

      MSW

      By: Robyn Nygard , yesterday
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Hello, Can anyone give me some insight as to where to find information about not needing to credential a MSW? We have never credentialed our MSW as we do not bill for her services. Our contract department is asking about credentialing. If anyone has ... More

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      RE: 2023 and 2024 Annual Conference Archives

      By: Jayesh Shukla , yesterday
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Hi Nishant, A messy, indirect and incomplete way to estimating number of home dialysis units is to start with Dialysis Facility Listing (the entire dataset) from data.cms.gov. Then filter to the Facility name that includes certain ... More

    • Profile Picture

      RE: 2023 and 2024 Annual Conference Archives

      By: Lynn Riesenberg , yesterday
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Looking forward to listening to your presentation at RPA. Lynn A Riesenberg Director of Business Development Sceptre Management Solutions More

    • Profile Picture

      2023 and 2024 Annual Conference Archives

      By: Nishant Jalandhara , yesterday
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Is there a spot to check up on 2023 and 2024 annual conference Agenda and potentially archives of the lectures? I tried to dig thru the website and came empty. Thanks. PS: Giving a lecture on "How to open home dialysis unit" at RPA annual ... More

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      RE: Billing Home Dialysis Medications

      By: Alice Luehr , 2 days ago
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Christine We are a hospital based outpatient unit. I can have our Pharmacist contact you if you would send me your email address and can ask him directly. Alice ------------------------------ Alice Luehr Dialysis Director St. Peter's Health ... More

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      RE: Patient with LVAD on dialysis

      By: Yolanda Atkins , 6 days ago
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Here is what we have done for our patients with LVAD in our outpatient dialysis units. This is fairly recent program. ------------------------------ Yolanda Atkins Quality Coordinator & Educator St. Bernards Medical Center Dialysis Jonesboro AR (870) ... More

    • Profile Picture

      Patient with LVAD on dialysis

      By: Arlene Caballes , 6 days ago
      Posted in: Voices Community

      I would like to inquire about the process of providing dialysis treatment to patients with Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD). Could anyone provide insight on recommended practices and any specialized equipment needed for patients undergoing dialysis ... More

    • Profile Picture

      Inquiry on Accommodation plans for color blind app ...

      By: Arlene Caballes , 6 days ago
      Posted in: Voices Community

      I would like to inquire if anyone has encountered a color-blind applicant recently. If so, do you have accommodation plans in place to support this particular care? As outlined in Vtag 191 and 196, the ability to discern colors is considered an essential ... More

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      RE: Medicare Recouping Amounts

      By: Tracey Mooney , 7 days ago
      Posted in: Voices Community

      This is mostly an involuntary model. It is based on where you are located. It is not something you could opt out of. Tracey Mooney, CPA Chief Financial Officer Independent Dialysis Foundation, Inc. 840 Hollins Street Baltimore, ... More

    • Profile Picture

      RE: Medicare Recouping Amounts

      By: Nemat Ebeid-Ishak , 7 days ago
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Well, I dont know what the ETC model / program is, let alone to be participating in. I googled it once I got the different responses, I found it has to do with home hemo. We are a very small unit and we do not provide Home Hemo, so what am I missing, ... More

    • Profile Picture

      RE: Medicare Recouping Amounts

      By: Tracey Mooney , 7 days ago
      Posted in: Voices Community

      If your providers are in the ETC Model, they are reprocessing claims back to 2022 due to errors of over and under payments. How delightful L for us that this is also coming over on our first round of claims with Binders on them. I have 4 providers ... More

    • Profile Picture

      RE: Medicare Recouping Amounts

      By: Christine Kelley , 7 days ago
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Hi Ninette, If you are an ETC model participant that could be it, we received the notice below back in February from CMS and have been seeing claims reprocess at our facilities. ESRD Treatment Choices (ETC) Model: Reprocessing Claims ... More

    • Profile Picture

      Medicare Recouping Amounts

      By: Nemat Ebeid-Ishak , 7 days ago
      Posted in: Voices Community

      Hi Everyone I am going crazy trying to figure out what is happening, and whether it is a national Medicare issue or local intermediary issue. For a couple of months now, they went back auditing all the payments they did in 2022, 2023, and 2024 for ... More