CMS Publishes Interim Final Rule Expanding COVID-19 Serology Tests
On May 8, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published an Interim Final Rule with comment period, amending Medicare policy during the COVID-19 PHE to cover FDA-authorized COVID-19 serology tests in order to allow any healthcare professional authorized to do so under State law to order COVID-19 diagnostic laboratory tests (including serological and antibody tests), and to provide for new specimen collection fees for COVID-19 testing under the Physician Fee Schedule and Outpatient Prospective Payment System. The changes apply to physicians and other practitioners, hospice providers, FQHCs, RHCs, critical access hospitals, community mental health centers, clinical laboratories, teaching hospitals, providers of laboratory testing benefit in Medicaid, Opioid treatment programs, and quality reporting programs for inpatient rehab facilities, LTCHs, SNFs, HHAs and DMEPOS suppliers.