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This memo provides answers to questions related to two CMS memos released on April 21 and April 23 for Medicare Advantage and Part D plans (including D-SNPs and Medicare-Medicaid Plans (MMPs)) describing guidance for plans related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This guidance contains several points of potential interest for states with integrated care initiatives.

This memo provides updated information related to previously issued April 21, 2020 guidance, "Information Related to Cronavirus Disease 2019 - COVID-19."

This memo provides information to PACE organizations to help control and prevent the spread of the virus to causes COVID-19.

In response to the spread of COVID-19, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has suspended non-emergency federal and state survey agency surveys. Consistent with that action, CMS is reprioritizing scheduled program audits for Medicare Advantage organizations, Part D sponsors, Medicare-Medicaid Plans, and PACE oganizations. Oversight will continue but will shift to prioritize the investigation and resolution of instances of noncompliance where the health and/or safety of beneficiaries is at risk and complaints allenging infection control concerns.

This memo describes the annual capitation rate for each Medicare Advantage payment area for CY 2021 and the risk and other factors to be used in adjusting these rates.

In response to the unique circumstances resulting from D-SNPs’ and states’ priority focus on reducing the risks of COVID-19 transmission and maintaining continuity of operations, this memorandum outlines updated CMS processes for review and approval of state Medicaid agency contracts (SMACs) for contract year 2021. The goal is to provide D-SNPs and states with as much additional time as possible to execute contracts consistent with these new regulatory requirements prior to the January 1, 2021, effective date.

This HPMS memo provides additional guidance and clarification on four topics related to new integration standards for Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans: (1) distinctions between fully integrated D-SNPs (FIDE SNPs) and highly integrated (HIDE SNPs); (2) permissibility of carve-outs of behavioral health services and long term services and supports (LTSS) for FIDE SNPs and HIDE SNPs; (3) alignment of D-SNP and companion Medicaid plan service areas; and (4) compliance with integration requirements for D-SNPs that only enroll partial-benefit dually eligible individuals.

This memo to all Medicare Advantage Dual Eligible Special Needs Plans (D-SNPs) summarizes the new calendar year (CY) 2021 requirements for Medicare-Medicaid integration. These requirements were detailed in an April 2019 CMS final rule and must be incorporated into CY 2021 contracts with states that D-SNPs are required to submit to CMS by July 6, 2020.  

This Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule strengthens patient protections, improves care coordination, and provides administrative flexibilities and regulatory relief for Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). The final rule removes redundancies and eliminates outdated information, which will reduce administrative burden on PACE organizations, and allow clinicians and other care providers to focus more of their time on patients.

To better inform analysis of existing policies and development of future policies that affect Medicaid payments, the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) released a compendium of each state’s fee-forservice DME policies along with a companion issue brief summarizing payment and coverage policies and issues.