The Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders continues its strong (and successful) advocacy helping wound management practitioners care for their patients and help patients access care during the COVID-19 crisis.
The Alliance has collated important information and put it in one easy to find place. Check out the resources, which include important policy updates.
Topics include temporary relocation site billing, standard written order provisions, dNPWT telehealth billing and total contact casting. Since the crisis began, the Alliance has issued an astounding number of letters, comments and recommendations to CMS and its Medicare Administrative Contractors addressing specific policies that if implemented along with regulatory relief, could remove treatment barriers affecting patients with chronic wounds. These evolving requests for specific flexibilities are based on the real-world front-line experiences of wound care clinicians who are among the 20+ clinical association members of the Alliance.
The Alliance is gearing up for the anticipated release by CMS of its proposed CY2021 Physician Fee Schedule and CY2021 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System. Each of these documents will be full of provisions that impact wound care clinics and clinicians. Analyzing and responding to them requires many hours of effort by Alliance staff and members.
The Alliance can’t keep up this work on behalf of patients and practitioners without monetary support. If you are a patient with a chronic wound or a practitioner who cares for them – please consider contribution to the COVID Relief fund. Your contributions enable this important work (which goes on nearly around the clock) to be done on your behalf. Because of the Alliance efforts, you don’t have to worry that you will be caught off guard by one of the many sudden changes in healthcare policy – and you have additional peace of mind knowing that there are ongoing efforts to help you.
Dr. Fife is a world renowned wound care physician dedicated to improving patient outcomes through quality driven care. Please visit my blog at CarolineFifeMD.com and my Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/carolinefifemd/videos
