CMS’ new rules and waivers
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently implemented temporary rules and waivers surrounding Medicare Advantage plans. These rules now allow providers more flexibility to focus on caring for members affected by COVID-19. These temporary policy changes are now available to Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) to essentially help prevent the spread of coronavirus and grant leniency for providers, as there has been an overwhelming increase for healthcare needs from members.
To note a few temporary changes, CMS has implemented the following rules and waivers in regard to the coronavirus pandemic for Medicare Advantage plans:
- Telehealth services have been expanded for Medicare Advantage members.
- Many standard medical review activities are paused (including prior authorization and other reviews requiring documentation from providers). These medical review activities will resume as normal once the public health emergency has concluded.
- MAOs are prohibited to charge enrollees for clinical laboratory tests that either detect or diagnose COVID-19.
- Temporary relief from data collection reporting requirements is now offered, including Star Ratings.
- Part C Independent Review Entities are authorized to grant extensions for filing Medicare appeals.
These temporary changes are effective as of March 30, 2020 and remain in effect until the emergency declaration has concluded, or for 30 days, if no end date is listed.
How Nymbl is effectively meeting older adults’ needs
With millions of older adults being heavily affected by coronavirus due to stay at home orders, it has vastly reduced their opportunity for movement and exercise – leading to disuse atrophy and skill decline. Nymbl provides older adults with fun and effective balance training sessions in the safety and comfort of their homes. In only 10 minutes a day, older adults can improve their balance, reduce their fall risk and most importantly, participate in life.
In light of coronavirus, all in-person balance training classes have been cancelled with no end in sight as to when these classes will resume. In addition, most older adults are wary of allowing providers in their homes, such as physical or occupational therapists. The options for effective balance training at home are extremely limited during this pandemic, which further limits their access to successful outcomes. When older adults are stuck at home for long periods of time, their anxiety naturally arises at the thought of leaving their homes and, in turn, increases their risk of falling.
Nymbl is committed to preventing one million falls with our scalable fall prevention solution. With these temporary policy changes from CMS, Nymbl is readily available in conjunction with Medicare Advantage Part C, and has been shown to ultimately lower the risk of falling. With Nymbl, older adults are given a safer option to stay at home amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
Join us in preventing 1 million falls
As COVID-19 has posed many uncertainties and abruptly altered older adults’ daily lives, fall prevention does not have to be uncertain. With the state of the world today, older adults deserve an in-home intervention to continue living their best lives and decrease future fall-related claims. By using Nymbl, the cost of fall prevention for Medicare Advantage can decrease for providers and ultimately enhance the lives of older adults.
Please join us in preventing 1 million falls. Email us now for your custom plan on how Nymbl can meet your needs: contact@nymblscience.com.