Dear Stakeholders,
The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is providing this update of significant developments this week related to DHCS programs, including guidance related to the COVID-19 emergency.
DHCS’ May Revision highlights have been posted to the DHCS website.
On May 13, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved California’s State Plan Amendment (SPA) 20-0024, retroactive to March 1, 2020. These Disaster Relief SPA modifications include:
- Expanding presumptive eligibility (PE) to cover the uninsured;
- Allowing more than one PE determination per calendar year;
- Waiving cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing and treatment;
- Expanding the use of certain home health benefits;
- Allowing expanded use of telehealth for certain services that previously required a face-to-face visit;
- Removing certain limits on the number of prescriptions allowed and extend the maximum allowed length of prescriptions;
- Increasing certain laboratory rates for COVID-19 testing to equal the Medicare rate and increase rates for skilled nursing facilities and Intermediate Care Facilities for the Developmentally Disabled;
- Removing or modifying face-to-face requirements to allow expanded telehealth services at rural and Indian health centers and Federally Qualified Health Centers; and
- Allowing paid sick leave for In-Home Supportive Services and Waiver Personal Care Service workers.
DHCS also published additional and/or updated guidance for providers, beneficiaries and the public related to the COVID-19 emergency:
- SPA 20-0024 – CMS-Approved COVID-19 State Plan Amendments
- County Operations Survey Summary
- Update: Fee-for-Service Pharmacy: Benefit Reminders and Clarifications
- Pharmacy - Coverage of Acetaminophen, and Cough and Cold Medicines for Adults
- PPL-20-014 - Local Educational Agency - Telehealth for Billing Option Program
Additional updates will be posted to the DHCS COVID-19 resource page.
Thank you,
DHCS
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