The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has yet to ask for loan repayments from providers that participated in its advanced Medicare payment program.  

CMS Administrator Seema Verma confirmed that CMS isn’t garnishing Medicare payments from participants in its expanded Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program, according to a report by Modern Healthcare.

The expansion of the program was announced in late March as a means to expedite cash flow to providers during the coronavirus pandemic. The program applied to both Medicare Parts A and B, but not Part D or Medicare Advantage.

Loan distribution began in April, and terms of the program require CMS to begin garnishing recipient’s Medicare payments four months after receiving the funds, according to the report. However, the agency is “evaluating when to begin the recoupment process” as Congress decides how the loans should be paid back before moving forward. 

“You know that’s something that we’re looking at. Obviously, (it’s) something that Congress is also grappling with,” Verma told the news organization.  

“I will say that we understand that COVID has had a significant impact and what we’re seeing in the numbers is that services are starting to come back up,” she added.