Evaluation of the impact of guideline communication from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services among US healthcare providers: COVID-19 prevention counselling guidance.

Abstract

To evaluate healthcare provider awareness and uptake of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) billing for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prevention counselling and the delivery of prevention counselling to patients awaiting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 test results. Cross sectional survey of US-based healthcare providers in February 2021. Analysis of associations with healthcare provider-reported awareness of CMS prevention counselling guidance and billing with provider type, specialty, and work setting. A total of 1919 healthcare providers responded to the survey. Overall, 38% (726/1919) of providers reported awareness of available CMS reimbursement for COVID-19 patient counselling and 29% (465/1614) of CMS billing-eligible providers reported billing for this counselling. Among physicians, those aware of CMS guidance were significantly more likely to bill (58%) versus those unaware (10%). Among RNSights respondents eligible for CMS billing (n = 114), 31% of those aware of the guidance reported billingas compared to 0% of those not aware.