| Covid-19 | Oct 20, 2020

CMS Issues Reports on the Accelerated and Advance Payment Program

CMS issued reports on $106.7 billion in payments its made through the Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) Program. In accordance with the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act enacted on October 1, 2020, the data includes information on the percentage of payments made from the Federal Hospital Insurance Trust Fund and the Federal Supplementary Insurance Trust Fund. Additional data includes payments by provider and supplier type. In a separate report, CMS detailed payments amounts by provider/supplier.Note: On October 8, CMS issued a Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions document explaining and implementing recent changes to its Advanced and Accelerated Payment programs for Medicare providers contained in the recent Continuing Appropriations Act. As required by the Act, CMS is delaying recoupments of advanced payments for a year from the advance, then collecting them over an extended 29-month period, followed by collection efforts (at a reduced rate of interest). Other than implementing the recent statutory change, the guidance notably points out that providers who cannot meet this recoupment schedule might be eligible for an Extended Repayment Schedule under existing CMS authority. CMS has stopped making new payments under these programs in April, and announced it has no intention of making more payments at this time, and will not accept applications for the programs.