COVID-19: Practice Management
Resources to help you manage your practice during the pandemic.
Frontline Patient Care
Resources for Retired Physicians Returning to Practice
This resource walks retired and inactive physicians through some basic information to consider, and questions to ask, if they are considering volunteering to provide care in response to the COVID-19 emergency.
Providing Care Outside Typical Practice Setting
The AAFP has developed a resource to assist physicians being asked to provide patient care in settings outside of their current practice in response to the COVID-19 emergency. This resource includes questions to ask and steps for physicians to take to protect themselves professionally.
Coding and Payment
Updated 3/16/22:
Indicating a Patient Has Not Been Fully Immunized
As of April 1, 2022, there are diagnosis codes that can be used to indicate a patient has not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Read more about these codes on the FPM Getting Paid blog.
Codes Established for Monoclonal Antibody Injections
As of February 11, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has created three codes for administering bebtelovimab, a monoclonal antibody injection recently authorized for treating mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in some patients. Read more on the Getting Paid blog.
Vaccine Coverage Requirements and Preliminary Payment Guidance
The federal government is buying and distributing the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to physician practices, health systems, or other vaccine providers. As a result, Medicare, Medicaid, and private payers will not pay for the vaccine supply itself for the foreseeable future. This summary outlines requirements for various payers to cover vaccine administration and other related services, both during the public health emergency (PHE) and after it ends.
CMS Offers Reporting Relief
As outlined in a new FPM blog post, CMS is again offering QPP data reporting relief, but this time it's not automatic. Practices participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) that are significantly affected by the public health emergency had the opportunity to apply for the Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception by February 1, 2021. CMS will notify you by email if your request was approved or denied. Get answers to frequently asked questions here. Practices that did not receive an Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances exception must submit data for the 2020 performance year by March 31, 2021.
UnitedHealthcare, Cigna Modify 2021Telehealth Payment Policies
As of January 1, 2021, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) made changes to its commercial plans that include services eligible for payment, use of modifiers, and requirements for telehealth services to be recognized under UHC guidelines. UHC’s new policy also addresses other forms of clinician-patient electronic communication. Read more details.
Cigna also made payment policy changes for virtual care services provided by its commercial plans effective January 1. Changes announced include services eligible for payment, use of modifiers, and other requirements that must be met for services to qualify for payment. In addition, Cigna’s new policy covers other types of electronic communication between patients and clinicians. Find out more.
Both insurers instituted the new policies in recognition of patients’ and clinicians’ continuing desire for safe and convenient care options amid the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Private Payer FAQs and Policies
The AAFP is closely monitoring private payer policies regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and has compiled a list of frequently asked questions based on information from each payer’s respective website.
Private Payer Advocacy
In late October 2020, the AAFP wrote to Anthem, Cigna, Humana, and UnitedHealthcare to urge them to extend their expanded telehealth policies established during the public health emergency (PHE) period. The AAFP asked these payers to extend and support the following policies through at least the end of the PHE:
- coverage of telehealth services delivered by in-network physicians,
- cost-share waivers for primary care telehealth services, and
- flexibilities allowing the use of platforms that do not comply with standards set by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) allowing the use of non-HIPAA-compliant platforms.
View:
Telehealth Guidance
Using Telehealth to Provide Care During Pandemic
Telemedicine and virtual care have quickly become important tools in meeting your patients’ needs. Access the latest information and resources to equip your practice to provide telehealth services.
Download the Free AAFP Telehealth Toolkit
One particularly powerful tool to help members provide care during the COVID-19 pandemic is “A Toolkit to Build and Grow a Sustainable Telehealth Program in Your Practice,” a comprehensive, free AAFP resource that covers the major issues you’re likely to see as you launch a sustainable telehealth program in your practice.
General Provider Telehealth Toolkit
CMS has developed a telehealth and telemedicine toolkit for primary care that provides an overview of the telehealth guidance and regulatory updates.
More Flexible Policies
UnitedHealthcare has added flexibility to its telehealth policies to make it easier for patients to connect with their family physician. UHC will waive member cost-sharing for COVID-19-related visits.
HIPAA Eases Technology Restrictions
Physicians can now use apps that allow for video chats, including Apple FaceTime, Facebook Messenger video chat, Google Hangouts video, and Skype, to provide telehealth without risk of penalty.
Selecting Telehealth Technology
View the telehealth platforms members are using in private practice and see the questions that can help you when exploring a telehealth platform.
The Difference Between Virtual Visits
The new blog post "A virtual visit algorithm: how to differentiate and code telehealth visits, e-visits, and virtual check-ins" can help you assign reimbursement codes. It outlines four types of virtual visits and the algorithm as a quick way for physicians to tell these services apart.
Managing Your Practice and Career
OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard for COVID-19 Exposure: Comply by July 6
OSHA released new, COVID-specific requirements to protect employees in health care settings. Employers have 14 days from when it was posted to the federal register to comply, with some exceptions. Find more information, including a plan template and FAQ.
Considerations on Reopening Your Practice
The AAFP has created a practice reopening checklist to help physicians make decisions on how and when to resume in-person visits. As more evidence becomes available, the AAFP will update our guidance.
Resetting Your Priorities in Family Medicine Post-Pandemic
Read this FPM journal article to learn a three-part exercise aimed at helping you reallocate your practice time based on your priorities.
Contact Tracing Guidance for Family Medicine
Contact tracing is a core disease control measure. The AAFP's contact tracing guidance outlines contact tracing basics and how it will impact family medicine practices.
Point of Care Testing
The AAFP Point-of-Care Testing Policy emphasizes that family physicians should have access to accurate and reliable point-of-care testing to expand patient access and improve care management.
Addressing Non-urgent Care Needs
The AAFP statement, Guidance for Family Physicians on Preventive and Non-Urgent Care, provides support to members making recommended changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ensuring Proper Protection
This AAFP position statement on personal protective equipment (PPE) provides support to members to ensure they are properly protected when treating patients during this pandemic.
Physician Office Preparedness Checklist
This resource outlines the necessary steps to protect your practice and patients. It was recently revised to include telehealth guidance, strategies to optimize personal protective equipment and definitions for self-monitoring, isolation and quarantine.
Physician Well-Being
Resources for Coping with the Stress of the Pandemic
You and your colleagues have been shouldering an immense responsibility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Has your well-being taken a backseat? Find a selection of practical resources that were made to help you feel whole again.
Financial Resources
Resources from the AAFP on Financial Relief
The Financial Relief for Family Physicians page breaks down available financial relief programs like the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund and the COVID-19 Uninsured Program Portal.