HFMA Comments on Measures to Increase Provider Capacity and Reduce Administrative Burden During COVID-19 National Emergency
HFMA submitted comments to the tri-agencies on the regulatory flexibility to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic that the administration afforded physicians and hospitals when it used its section 1135 waiver authority to remove regulatory constraints to increasing inpatient capacity. HFMA asks the tri-agencies to exercise their powers to mandate all public and private insurers to eliminate administrative policies that typically increase burdens to clinicians and administrative personnel and ensure claims are processed promptly to provide hospitals the liquidity needed to cover increased expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The letter includes recommendations pertaining to:
- Medical records
- Peer-to-peer physician reviews
- Precertification / Preauthorization
- Appeal deadlines
- Timely filing deadlines
- Postpayment audits
- Cost-sharing waivers
- Restrictions on patient transfers on ventilators
- 340B child sites