The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services hopes the expansion of its accelerated and advanced payment program will expedite cash flow to providers during the coronavirus pandemic.
The accelerated and advance payment will apply to both Medicare Parts A and B, but not Medicare Advantage or Part D, the American Health Care Association explained in a recent FAQ regarding the announcement. Payments will also be made to both Part A and B provider types in similar manners, the organization explained.
“Part A provider types (including skilled nursing facilities) would be submitting an ‘Accelerated Payment’ request while Part B providers (i.e. physicians, suppliers, DME) submit an ‘Advanced Payment’ request. Stated another way, both programs are under different authority but functionally operate the same,” AHCA wrote.
Net reimbursement reports, from Oct. 1 – Dec. 31, 2019, showing the maximum amount to pay for each SNF has already been given to Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), meaning providers don’t need to develop historical data to support their accelerated and advance payment.
Providers can also request a lower or the maximum based on the three-month period. If they’re requesting the maximum payment, it cannot be above the net reimbursement amount, the AHCA explained. It also provided detailed language to providers for how to submit their request and explain their situation to MACs.
