DHSS Issues Pfizer COVID-19 Standing Order
Staff Contact: Meghan Henderson or Jackie Gatz
Today, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services issued a standing order for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The order, signed by Dr. Randall Williams, outlines both the policy and procedures as they relate to vaccine administration. A wide variety of licensed health care personnel are authorized to administer the vaccine under this standing order. MHA will continue to provide additional information and timely updates on vaccine distribution, administration and associated resources as they become available.
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CMS Publishes COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkits, Coding And Payment Rates
Staff Contact: Andrew Wheeler
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services previously announced an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The following has been released to help providers administer the vaccine.
CMS also published CPT/HCPCS codes to be used to administer the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Providers should bill 0001A for the first dose and 0002A for the second dose of Pfizer’s vaccine. Providers should bill 0011A for the first dose and 0012A for the second dose of Moderna’s vaccine. The payment rate for providers billing and paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule will receive a standardized rate of $16.94 for the first dose and $28.39 for the second dose for both vaccines. Hospitals billing and paid under the Outpatient Prospective Payment System will receive a standardized rate of $15.50 for the first dose and $25.50 for the second dose of both vaccines. Providers will need to adjust these rates based on geographic payment rate adjustments.
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MOStopsCOVID Website Provides Vaccine Educational Materials
Staff Contact: Mary Becker
The state’s vaccinator website MOStopsCOVID has been updated to include different educational materials — from printables to social media and resources from other sources.
To access the resources, go to the vaccinators section and scroll to the bottom to find printable, social, digital and other messaging resources available for download. The digital section includes a video from Dr. Aamina Akhtar who is a St. Louis-area physician. Closer to the top of the page in a pink box is a link to Pfizer-specific information. Moderna-specific information will be added as soon as it is available. Ongoing updates will include some improved descriptions and rumor-control assets.
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Associations Send Open Letter To Health Care Professionals On COVID-19 Vaccine
Staff Contact: Meghan Henderson or Jackie Gatz
The American Hospital Association, American Medical Association and American Nurses Association issued an open letter to health care providers thanking them for their sacrifice and dedication in caring for and fighting against COVID-19. Overcoming this virus “will require trust in the COVID-19 vaccination process, from the development, distribution and administration of a safe and effective vaccine, as well as a willing public to get vaccinated.” In addition, the letter encourages frontline caregivers to receive the vaccine and share their experience with others.
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First Workers In St. Louis Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
Staff Contact: Mary Becker
When COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Missouri on Monday, Mercy Health employees in St. Louis were among the first in the region to receive the vaccine. At Mercy Hospital South, 20 workers of different races, ages and job titles were chosen as the first recipients of the hospital’s vaccines “to show that it is vital and safe for everyone to get a shot.” Nicole Boyer, an ICU nurse at Mercy South who received the vaccine said, “I have seen the effects of what the virus does to patients, and it is far scarier than the vaccine.”
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Gov. Mike Parson and key leaders of his administration participated in a conference call with the MHA membership on the state’s response to the COVID-19 emergency. It was the 23rd such call with the MHA membership since the pandemic began. The calls provide an opportunity for an update on state activities and hospital issues, and for hospital executives to ask questions and make comments. The call focused on the distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccines. State leaders said it will be key to have consistent messaging to promote the efficacy and safety of vaccination. They also noted that changes are being made to vaccine administration and provider enrollment processes based on hospital concerns and comments expressed through MHA. Hospital executives’ questions concerned the distribution of different vaccine types among hospitals, the potential role for hospitals once their practitioners are vaccinated, and outreach efforts to minority and other underrepresented communities. The governor and his staff reiterated the importance of their collaboration with hospitals.