[NFBofSC] SCDHHS Hosting Medicaid Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19

[Ernest Gallman]

MEDICA  ID ALERT
TO: All Providers
SUBJECT: SCDHHS Hosting Medicaid Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) 
Update Webinar
The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) is 
hosting a webinar where it  will update Healthy Connections Medicaid 
providers on the agency’s response to coronavirus disease  2019 
(COVID-19). The webinar will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 6, 2020.
Over the past three weeks, SCDHHS has issued guidance to providers, 
managed care organizations  (MCOs), contractors and beneficiaries about 
the benefits and flexibilities available to continue to  provide and 
access care during the COVID-19 response. During the webinar, SCDHHS 
leadership will  provide a brief overview of actions the agency has 
already taken to provide additional  flexibilities to providers and 
Healthy Connections Medicaid members, discuss additional ongoing and  
planned efforts and address questions submitted by providers. To be 
considered during the webinar,  questions need to be submitted to  
covid at scdhhs.gov by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 3, 2020.
Following the webinar, SCDHHS will publish and update frequently asked 
questions (FAQs) to assist  individual providers and practices with 
interpreting agency guidance on telemedicine and other  flexibilities 
issued since the start of the public health emergency. Providers with 
questions about  practice or reimbursement guidance should send those 
questions to  covid at scdhhs.gov . SCDHHS will periodically issue 
clarifying bulletins and answers to FAQs to address prevailing  trends 
and challenges as South Carolina’s COVID-19 response continues.
Providers must register for the webinar in order to participate. 
Providers can register by clicking  on  this Webex link  and following 
the on-screen instructions. Capacity is limited and will be allocated 
on a  first-come, first-served basis. SCDHHS will post the presentation 
at  www.scdhhs.gov/covid19  after the webinar has concluded.
Beneficiary and provider resources published by SCDHHS since the states 
of emergency declared on  March 13, 2020, by President Donald Trump and 
Governor Henry McMaster are available at  www.scdhhs.gov/covid19  and include:
A section  1135 waiver application  submitted to the Centers for 
Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) seeking a variety of  
administrative flexibilities, portions of which received initial 
approval from CMS  on March 31, 2020 ;
A COVID-19 section 1115(a) demonstration waiver seeking to improve the 
state’s inpatient hospital  capacity submitted to CMS  on March 27, 2020 ;
A  memo  sent to South Carolina MCOs providing guidance regarding 
necessary flexibility to ensure  continuity of care with respect to 
prior authorization and documentation requirements for providers;
A  letter  sent to SCDHHS’ non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) 
broker, LogistiCare, regarding  continued access to NEMT services;
A  Medicaid bulletin  announcing temporary policy changes related to 
coverage of COVID-19 testing, the waiving of  patient cost share, 
enhancement of pharmacy benefits, suspension of the ambulatory care 
visit limit  and more flexibilities for infusion centers;
A  Medicaid bulletin  announcing temporary policy changes that provide 
coverage of additional telemedicine services  administered by 
physicians, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants and licensed 
independent  practitioners;
A  Medicaid bulletin  announcing temporary policy changes related to 
durable medical equipment;
A  Medicaid bulletin  announcing temporary policy changes that provide 
coverage of additional evaluation and management  services performed 
via telemedicine;
A  Medicaid bulletin  announcing temporary policy changes that provide 
additional telemedicine benefits for Federally  Qualified Health 
Centers and Rural Health Clinics;
A  Medicaid bulletin  announcing temporary policy changes that provide 
coverage for delivery of physical, occupational  and speech therapy 
performed through telemedicine;
A  Medicaid bulletin  announcing temporary policy changes that expand 
behavioral health services covered through  telemedicine;
A  Medicaid bulletin  announcing temporary policy changes that clarify 
and provide formal guidance related to early  intervention services 
covered by telemedicine;
A  Medicaid bulletin  announcing temporary policy changes that expand 
Applied Behavior Analysis services covered through  telemedicine;
Resources  related to the preferred drug lists for fee-for-service 
beneficiaries and MCO partners; and,
Resources  to assist small businesses, including clinical practices, 
and their employees to mitigate the  economic impact of social 
distancing policies.
SCDHHS continues to seek feedback from the provider community about 
additional guidance that may be  necessary in response to this 
unprecedented public health emergency. In addition to participating  in 
the upcoming webinar, providers can also send recommendations and 
feedback related to SCDHHS’  COVID-19 efforts to  covid at scdhhs.gov .
Thank you for your continued support of the South Carolina Healthy 
Connections Medicaid program.