The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has taken actions to ensure America’s patients, healthcare facilities, and clinical laboratories are prepared to respond to the 2019 novel coronavirus.
CMS has developed a second Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code that can be used by laboratories to bill for certain COVID-19 diagnostic tests to help increase testing and track new cases. In addition, CMS has released new fact sheets that explain Medicare, Medicaid, Children’s Health Insurance Program, and individual and small group market private insurance coverage for services to help patients prepare.
“CMS continues to leverage every tool at our disposal in responding to COVID-19,” says CMS Administrator Seema Verma. “Our new code will help encourage doctors and laboratories to use these essential tests for patients who need them. At the same time, we are providing critical information to our 130 million beneficiaries, many of whom are understandably wondering what will be covered when it comes to this virus. CMS will continue to devote every available resource to this effort, as we cooperate with other government agencies to keep the American people safe.”
To read more, visit CMS.
