CMS COVID-19 new data reporting requirements updated

Posted on: 10/9/20

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released two important documents earlier this week, providing new data reporting guidance for COVID-19, including frequently asked questions for hospitals and the interim final rule on requirements and enforcement process. In addition, the American Hospital Association (AHA) addressed the new data reporting requirements in a special bulletin.

On Oct. 6, HHS released the following:
1. An update on COVID-19 Guidance for Hospital Reporting and FAQs For Hospitals, Hospital Laboratory, and Acute Care Facility Data Reporting
2. Interim Final Rule – Requirements and Enforcement Process for Reporting of COVID-19 Data Elements for Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals

AHA issued a Special Bulletin addressing the new data reporting guidance. The bulletin included an outline of the CMS enforcement process for a hospital’s failure to report, beginning with initial notification from CMS informing a hospital that it is not in compliance with the reporting requirements.

On Aug. 20, the Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) received a letter from HHS verifying certification to report COVID-19 data to the federal government on behalf of hospitals. OSDH reminds those hospitals submitting HHS COVID-19 data to EMResource to ensure all data fields are completed daily, to refresh data daily to ensure a current time stamp for upload to HHS, and to check the Resource Validation Report on EMResource immediately after entering the COVID-19 data. For additional information and detailed instructions, click here. (Patrice Greenawalt)