COVID-19: Selected Medicare Resources for Beneficiaries and Health Care Providers

COVID-19: Selected Medicare Resources for Beneficiaries and Health Care Providers

INSIGHTi

COVID-19: Selected Medicare Resources for
Beneficiaries and Health Care Providers
March 9, 2021
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected Medicare beneficiaries, who are
generally considered high risk, and health care providers, who serve Medicare populations. This Insight
provides COVID-19-related resources relevant to both of these groups.
For background information on the Medicare program, please see the CRS In Focus IF10885, Medicare
Overview or the more in-depth CRS Report R40425, Medicare Primer.
Resources for Medicare Beneficiaries
The Medicare & Coronavirus (Medicare.gov) website outlines coverage of COVID-19-related benefits
and directs beneficiaries to other helpful resources. Medicare covers vaccines, diagnostic tests, antibody
tests, and monoclonal antibody treatments, as well as related health care needs, including hospitalizations.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare has temporarily expanded coverage of telehealth
services, so beneficiaries can interact with providers through a variety of virtual methods to reduce
exposure risk.
A beneficiary may qualify for a special enrollment period for Part B or Part C (Medicare Advantage) or
Part D if the beneficiary’s financial situation or life circumstances have changed during the COVID-19
pandemic. For example, the beneficiary may now qualify for Extra Help, is now dual-eligible for
Medicaid, or has retired during the pandemic.
Beneficiaries also may seek local Medicare help and advice through their State Health Insurance
Assistance Programs (SHIPs). SHIP locations are listed by state, and they provide safe, distanced options
to aid beneficiaries during the pandemic.
Other CRS products that may be helpful in aiding Medicare beneficiaries during the pandemic include
 CRS Insight IN11410, COVID-19: Selected Financial and Social Service Resources for
Older Americans;
 CRS Insight IN11359, COVID-19: Financial Relief and Assistance Resources for
Consumers; and
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
IN11630
CRS INSIGHT
Prepared for Members and
Committees of Congress

Congressional Research Service
2
 CRS In Focus IF11694, Connecting Older Adults and Individuals with Disabilities to
Health Services: Resources for Constituents.
Resources for Health Care Providers
Health care providers, both individual and facilities, may have a range of COVID-19 questions, from
queries about Medicare coverage and payments to emergency-related flexibilities, as well as questions
about sources of additional funding, including the Provider Relief Fund (PRF). In response to the
pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a range of policies, guidance,
and waivers that impact health care providers.
The CMS Current Emergencies website compiles information applicable to providers, including guidance
documents for topics such as telehealth expansion, coverage, billing, and provider enrollment.
Each section includes Medicare-specific publications, and many documents targeted to specific provider
types (such as hospitals or skilled nursing facilities) include Medicare information. Documents and
updates are listed in reverse chronological order. Links to specific documents generally remain the same
even after updates. Resources include the following:
 Frequently Asked Questions to Assist Medicare Providers (includes billing information)
 Medicare Coverage and Payment Related to COVID-19
 Medicare Monoclonal Antibody COVID-19 Infusion Program Instruction
 Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact Sheet
 Guidance to Help Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans Respond to COVID-19
 Medicare Provider Enrollment Relief Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Providers and facilities also may have funding-related questions regarding the PRF or the Accelerated and
Advance Payments Program. See the following resources:
 Fact Sheet: Accelerated and Advance Payments Program (CMS)
 CARES Act Provider Relief Fund (Department of Health and Human Services)
 CRS Insight IN11438, The COVID-19 Health Care Provider Relief Fund
 CRS Report R46698, Medicare Accelerated and Advance Payments and COVID-19:
Frequently Asked Questions
The following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sites provide general COVID-19 guidance for
health care facilities and providers:
 Toolkit for Healthcare Providers,
 Healthcare Workers: Information on COVID-19, and
 Facility Planning and Operations for COVID-19.

Congressional Research Service
3
Author Information

Michele L. Malloy

Research Librarian

Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff
to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of
Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of
information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role.
CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United
States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However,
as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the
permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

IN11630 · VERSION 1 · NEW