CMS Issues COVID-19 Add-On Payment for New Treatment Interim Final Rule

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released an Interim Final Rule with Comment Period that will establish a new COVID-19 treatments add-on payment (NCTAP) under the Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS), which is effective from November 2, 2020, until the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19. To mitigate potential financial disincentives for hospitals to provide new COVID-19 treatments during the COVID-19 PHE, the Medicare program will provide an enhanced payment for eligible inpatient cases that involve the use of certain new products with current Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval or emergency use authorization to treat COVID-19. Comments will be accepted until the close of business on January 4, 2021.