Yesterday, April 26, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it is re-evaluating payments made to Medicare Part A providers through the recently expanded Accelerated Payment Program and suspending the Advance Payment Program for Medicare Part B providers effective immediately.
The Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payment Program (AAP) is a longstanding program that authorizes Medicare contractors to make up to three months of expected Medicare payments to Part A providers (accelerated payments) and Part B providers (advance payments) during a public health emergency that results in the disruption of claim submission or claim processing. In early April, CMS announced it was expanding the AAP program to include Medicare Part A and Part B providers impacted by the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, allowing them to receive accelerated and advance payments from Medicare as a means to temporarily maintain adequate cashflow to support their businesses.
The April 26 announcement indicates that due to Medicare accelerated and advance payments of approximately $100 billion to providers through the AAP program to date, and the $175 billion of appropriated grant funds through COVID-19 related provider relief legislation, CMS is reevaluating the AAP program and is reviewing all new and pending applications for Medicare Part A accelerated payments and suspending the Medicare Part B advance program outright, no longer accepting new applications for advance payments from Part B providers.
The CMS announcement may be reviewed here. AOPA is reviewing the CMS announcement including its potential impact on AOPA members and will provide CMS with appropriate comments.
Questions regarding this may be directed to Joe McTernan at jmcternan@AOPAnet.org or Devon Bernard at dbernard@AOPAnet.org.