Managing the Rehabilitation Wave: Rehabilitation Services for COVID-19 Survivors.

"The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services has provided flexibility to perform rehabilitation during the crisis in multiple ways. The document COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers 29 allowed for the relocation of inpatients from distinct rehabilitation units to an acute care bed. The document also provides flexibility on the diagnosis mix of patient by waiving the 60% rule . A separate document published by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services provides guidance specific to inpatient rehabilitation facilities. 30 This document specifically allows the use of telehealth to fulfill the requirement for physicians to conduct face-to-face visits at least 3 days a week, eliminates the need for postadmission evaluations for Medicare patients admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility, and clarifies other details that were not present in the previous document. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, H.R. 748, section 3711, signed into law March 27, 2020, waives the inpatient rehabilitation facility 3-Hour Rule . 31 "