Supporting Healthcare for Homeless: CMS Allows Reimbursement for “Street” Medicine

Complications: Health Policy Unraveled

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has made a small change that has a large impact.

In episode 15 of Complications: Health Policy Unraveled, host Stephanie Kennan discusses the updated CMS billing policy, which now allows insurers to pay street medicine providers for their services. This move gives providers the flexibility to see homeless patients outside a traditional facility and seeks to address the healthcare needs of the ever-increasing number of homeless people across the country. Currently pending in the House is a bipartisan bill that would expand access to street medicine for homeless individuals across the country. Tune in to learn more about the expansion of street medicine and reimbursements to providers.

Meet Your Host

Name: Stephanie Kennan

Title: Senior Vice President, Federal Public Affairs at McGuireWoods Consulting

Specialty: Stephanie Kennan helps clients navigate the legislative and executive branches of the federal government to solve problems involving a variety of healthcare policy issues. Her work focuses on providers, medical device manufacturers, drug manufacturers and associations concerned about Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement.

Connect: LinkedIn

Episode Highlights

[0:40] CMS will now reimburse those providing medical services to homeless people outside traditional medical facilities

[1:24] States are beginning to approve billing for treatment of homeless people outside traditional medical facilities

[2:00] This change in federal billing was prompted by street medicine providers in 2022

[2:24] Pending bipartisan legislation in Congress, Direct Care for the Homeless Act, would expand access to street care and reimburse more street medicine providers

[3:33] The bill has been referred to House committees for consideration, meanwhile there is no similar legislation in the Senate yet

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