Clarification on Technology for Hospices After the End of the PHE

From NHPCO

CMS has answered the use of technology for hospices after the end of the public health emergency.  This answer was also shared in the National Stakeholder Office Hours on Ending the PHE on April 25, 2023.  Here is the transcript for that call, which shares the same information:  TranscriptOfficeHoursEndingPHE04252023 (cms.gov)

The regulatory flexibility at 42 CFR 418.204 is explicitly for the provision of routine home care services during the COVID-19 PHE. After the end of the COVID-19 PHE, the expectation is that routine home care hospice services will be provided in-person.  There is nothing precluding hospices from using technology to have follow-up communication with the patient and the family as long as the use of such technology does not replace an in-person visit. Additionally, such follow up contact should be documented in the hospice medical record similar to the way telephone calls would be documented and in accordance with the standards of practice and the hospice’s own policies and procedures. We cannot enumerate all of the scenarios in which there could be such contact via technology because each patient, family, and situation is different. Decisions about when such follow-up contact using technology is made need to be based on the needs of the patient and family and the hospice’s own policies and procedures. 

-CMS Hospice Policy