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Home Health & Hospice Week

Reimbursement:
Use These 8 New HHA Billing Codes Correctly Starting Jan. 1
Don't waste time waiting for an official transmittal from Medicare. You'll have 14 discip... Read more
Reimbursement:
7 Steps Help You Avoid PECOS Rejections Next Year
It's not too early to get on top of this potentially reimbursement-draining edit. PECOS e... Read more
OASIS:
Follow The 3 Ws To Accurately Track Ambulation Improvement
4 scenarios reveal your ability to choose the correct score for M1860. If you fail to get... Read more
Refer To This Cheat Sheet For 1860 Responses
Score 0 if patient can ambulate everywhere without device or human assistance. Score 1 if ... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
3 Tips Help Audit-Proof Your Diagnosis Coding
Coding for case mix is bound to leave your claims hanging under audit. Audits of home car... Read more
Education:
4 Ways To Get Your Money's Worth From Professional Conferences
Check out these preparation and notetaking tips. Attending a conference is a great opport... Read more
Education:
Attention, Conference-Goers:Don't Overlook Tax Write-Offs
Attending a meeting to boost a career move may be deductible. If your employer reimburses... Read more
Industry Notes:
Reimbursement Cut Hampers Regulatory Compliance
Starting Jan. 1, you have 5 percent less on average to work with. Home health agencies ha... Read more
Home care providers may not have gotten
Home care providers may not have gotten everything they wanted on their legislative Christ... Read more
If your final claim gets rejected with reason code C7080
If your final claim gets rejected with reason code C7080, don't just submit another reque... Read more
In the holiday rush, don't forget
In the holiday rush, don't forget to make sure your referring physicians start dating the... Read more
Afederal watchdog agency is continuing its scrutiny
Afederal watchdog agency is continuing its scrutiny of Medicaid home care services, and t... Read more
Stay tuned for educational materials from CMS
Stay tuned for educational materials from CMS on the new face to face encounter (FFE) req... Read more
You might want to beef up your OASIS submission procedures
You might want to beef up your OASIS submission procedures, since intermediaries will be ... Read more
Your troubles with the Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goal
Your troubles with the Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goal on medication reco... Read more
You may be able to improve outcomes
You may be able to improve outcomes in your patients with better recognition of anxiety d... Read more
As the weak economy continues and states' budget crises deepen
As the weak economy continues and states' budget crises deepen, home care funding is put ... Read more
Put another item on your regulatory to do list for 2011
Put another item on your regulatory todo list for 2011 -- implementation of the new ... Read more
Medical Review:
Protect Your Alzheimer's Patients' Claims Against Denial
Review denies staggering 92 percent of claims. You'll have to beef up your documentation ... Read more
Reader Question:
Use This Method To Document Your Patient Transfer Checks
You may want to take a page from this home health agency's playbook. Question: We admitte... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
Make Sure The Certifying Doc Does The FFE And Documentation, Too
A different physician can sign the patient's plan of care, however. If Medicare's final r... Read more
Hospice:
No Exceptions For Hospice Face To Face Encounters
Should you hold off on admitting a patient until the FFE can be done? Starting Jan. 1, yo... Read more
Regulations:
Turn To Youtube For OASIS C Training
Date stamping, increased audits, claims deadlines also addressed in forum. It may be late... Read more
HIPAA:
Just Because Lawyers Request Records Doesn't Mean You Must Send Them
3 steps help you avoid violating HIPAA laws in these situations. Picture this: An attorne... Read more
Contractors:
New Medicare Contractor Takes Over Cahaba Region
HHAs and hospices from 15 states will see new Medicare contractor in 2011. States in the ... Read more
Industry Notes:
DME Bidding Deadline Approaches
Suppliers fight against program in eleventh hour. Beneficiaries using durable medical equ... Read more
Red Flag Rule Bill Awaits President's Signature
You may get a breather from any Red Flag Rule worries. "New legislation passed by Congres... Read more
Check This List Twice
Don't forget to check the HHS Office of Inspector General's exclusion list when you hire n... Read more
Doc Pay Fix Leaves Home Care Unscathed -- For Now
Industry observers are cautiously optimistic about the so-called "doc fix" that congressi... Read more
Don't Make This Common Point Of Origin Code Error
HHAs continue to mess up point of origin codes on their claims, and the results are retur... Read more
Avoid Appeals Duplication With This RHHI Tool
If you want to appeal your first-level claim decision to the Qualified Independent Contra... Read more
Public Reporting Of CAHPS Measures Starts In 2011
In the rush of all the new requirements hitting Jan. 1, don't forget to apply for an exem... Read more
OIG Calculates Test Strip Benchmark For Bidding
It may not be easy for the competitive bidding program to comply with a statutory require... Read more
Four More HHA Fraudsters Arrested In Detroit
Federal agents have arrested four more individuals for alleged Medicare fraud related to ... Read more
Coverage:
Use 8 Homebound Strategies To Make Claims Audit-Proof
The homebound verification process starts with good intake procedures. Auditors are takin... Read more
Know Your Facts:
Medicare Definition Of Homebound
The Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 7 states that "the condition of [homebound] pa... Read more
Documentation:
Say Goodbye To Date Stamp For Physician Signatures
New stricter guidelines will require physicians to date signatures themselves starting Ja... Read more
Reimbursement:
Don't Overlook These New Billing Codes Required Jan. 1
Make sure your policies and procedures are in place to track which nursing visits are for... Read more
Compliance:
Avoid These 5 Common Compliance Pitfalls
Don't assume Recovery Audit Contractor audits will pass you by forever. If you're not ca... Read more
Industry Notes:
Edit Delay For Docs May Make Your PECOS Job Harder
July deadline for HHA PECOS edits will come faster than you think. Although CMS hasn't of... Read more
How patients with advanced cancer spend their last days
How patients with advanced cancer spend their last days probably has more to do with the m... Read more
The one-month fix for physicians' 23 percent pay cut
The one-month fix for physicians' 23 percent pay cut scheduled for Dec. 1 won't cost home ... Read more
The Jan. 1 deadline for face to face encounters is rushing up,
The Jan. 1 deadline for face to face encounters is rushing up, and agencies can use all th... Read more
Starting next month, you'll need to get more precise
Starting next month, you'll need to get more precise with your flu vaccine billing co... Read more
Will MedPAC get a home health representative
Will MedPAC get a home health representative again? Nominations for the next round of Medi... Read more
If you're having trouble enrolling or reenrolling
If you're having trouble enrolling or reenrolling in Medicare and NHIC is your Medicare co... Read more
The need for private duty home care continues to grow,
The need for private duty home care continues to grow, and so does the roster of providers... Read more
Home care providers across the nation are spreading Christmas cheer
Home care providers across the nation are spreading Christmas cheer this holiday season. S... Read more
Want to clean up your claims submission errors?
Want to clean up your claims submission errors? Consult Cahaba GBA's list of top problems&... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
Get Ready For HHAs'Face To Face Encounters To Limit Bene Access
New FFE rule’s deadline is rushing up on agencies quickly. Even though the prosp... Read more
Certification:
Don't Forget NPPs Can Do Encounters Too
They just can't certify patients for home care. The face to face encounter final rule aff... Read more
Referrals:
Start Training Referring Physicians On FFEs Right Away
Use these 9 tips to get ready for the new requirement by Jan. 1. The earlier you get s... Read more
Regulations:
Hospitalist Change Eases FFE Burden On HHAs -- A Little Bit
But watch out for problems with transitioning patients to their primary care physicians. ... Read more
Medical Review:
Don't Give Physicians FFE Boilerplate Language To Sign
How much of a helping hand is too much? Watch out: The feds say they will enforce the fac... Read more
Industry Notes:
CERT Report Findings To Bring More Claims Scrutiny
Medicare payment error rate continues to be in the double digits. The payment error rate ... Read more
Counting therapy visits for Medicare's
Counting therapy visits for Medicare's new therapy reassessment requirement just got comp... Read more
Durable medical equipment suppliers
Durable medical equipment suppliers that haven't sent out their grandfathering notice -- ... Read more
Add yet another government audit contractor
Add yet another government audit contractor to your list, and this one may have slipped i... Read more
You'd better get familiar with a new
You'd better get familiar with a new entity at CMS, because it could completely change th... Read more
Thanks to new timely filing rules
Thanks to new timely filing rules, you don't have long to get in your pre-2010 claims. Cl... Read more
Wall Street is taking notice of the big
Wall Street is taking notice of the big cuts coming down the pike for home care providers... Read more
HHAs that furnish outpatient therapy
HHAs that furnish outpatient therapy in the home should keep an eye on therapy caps excep... Read more
If you're having trouble billing for
If you're having trouble billing for Fluzone, it's probably not your fault. "Home health ... Read more
You might want to take a look at a new
You might want to take a look at a new fraud and abuse resource Medicare is handing out t... Read more
Hospice:
Hospice Face To Face Encounters Start In Just A Few Weeks
At least you can sometimes bill for the visits. Hospices soon will begin taking a financi... Read more
Reimbursement:
Know When To Bill For FFE Visits -- And When Not To
Ambulance transport is hospices' responsibility, CMS clarifies. You can defray at least s... Read more
Regulations:
Use These 9 Pointers To Smooth Your FFE Transition
Start identifying your December encounters now. You have a huge amount of work to do i... Read more
Patient Satisfaction:
If You Haven't Started CAHPS, Expect Pay Reductions In A Year
CMS sticks to its CAHPS deadline. Home health agencies hoping for a delay to the CAHPS pa... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
What Do You Think? Is There Really More Health Care Fraud and Abuse These Days?
The answer may surprise you. A recent FBI bust of a health care fraud ring run by organiz... Read more
Industry Notes:
Bidding Program To Cut DME Payments By One-Third
Bidding set to expand next year, CMS confirms. Round one of competitive bidding is expect... Read more
HHA Cuts For 2011 Will Drive Non-Profits Out Of Business, Trade Group Warns
Home health agency rates for 2011 will be cut by 4.89 percent compared to current rates, ... Read more
Keep a wary eye on Congress.
Keep a wary eye on Congress. CMS will publish in the Nov. 29 Federal Register a 2011 phys... Read more
Hospice Cert Detail Need Changing? Better Get A Doc Order, RHHI Says
If you have to change your hospice patient's benefit period dates on the certification fo... Read more
Submit Your PECOS Certification Statement ASAP
Don't dawdle once you submit your PECOS application form, warns regional home health inte... Read more
Examine Claims RTPd With U538I Closely For Payment Glitch
You'd better give your claims returned with reason code U538I a close look. "The Common W... Read more
Gentiva Has Mixed Earnings In Wake Of Investigations
Gentiva Health Services Inc.'s revenues rose while profits dropped in the latest quarter.... Read more
New Harris Poll Shows Americans Prefer Health Care At Home
Home care professionals know that patients overwhelmingly prefer home care, and now they ... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
Home Care Rates Slashed 5% Starting Jan. 1
Final rule brings no reprieve for HHA reimbursement rates. The budget ax has fallen and i... Read more
Regulations:
Prepare For Face-To-Face Encounter Burden
If your patients fail to see the doc in the mandated timeframe, it means no money for yo... Read more
Therapy:
Agencies Win More Leeway With Therapy Requirements
Start setting up your operations to make therapy reassessment windows. New therapy assess... Read more
Enrollment:
Medicare Lightens Up On 36-Month Rule
Get to know these new CHOW rule exceptions. Your chances of selling your home care busine... Read more
Industry Notes:
Federal Court Ruling Could Broaden Home Care Eligibility
Court says chronic care should not be barred from the benefit, as long as there's a skill... Read more
OIG Examines Pay Suspensions.
Once you're on a Medicare payment suspension, you shouldn't expect to get off it any time... Read more
PECOS Edits Start Nov. 8.
• If you geared up to analyze PECOS edit results starting Oct. 4, you can finally put t... Read more
RHHI Releases NCLOS Stats.
• You can find out where you fall in relation to your peers when it comes to hospice le... Read more
Celebrate National Home Care, Hospice Month
• Don't forget to celebrate National Home Care and Hospice Month with your staff, refer... Read more
Diagnosis Coding Glitch Fixed, RHHI Says
• The Medicare payment system glitch based on diagnosis codes has been cleared up, Cahab... Read more
CMS Announces Bidding Winners -- Finally
• CMS announced the list of durable medical equipment competitive bidding winners on Nov... Read more
Sign Up For These Free Therapy Forums
• You can hear about therapy results, strategies, and tips in the Delta National Excelle... Read more
Publicly Traded HHA Chains Report Increased Earnings
• Investigations into therapy provision by The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Senate, Securit... Read more
Acquisitions Heat Up In HHA Market
• Other home care companies have been busy on the acquisition trail as well.  &nbs... Read more
Audits:
Homebound Audits Put HHAs' Reimbursement At Risk
Are you committing one of these 8 frequent homebound sins? If your patient records fail t... Read more
Know Your Facts:
Medicare Definition Of Homebound
The Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter 7 states that "the condition of [homebound] pa... Read more
Hospice:
Intermediary Targets Nursing Home Hospice Claims
Don't miss a vital hospice certification step for long-stay beneficiaries. Authorities ar... Read more
Reimbursement:
Impending Physician Pay Cut Could Threaten Home Care Dollars
Medicare will cut doc payment rates by 23% in one month. Home care providers may be on sh... Read more
Human Resources:
Focused Feedback Gets Results
Feedback for employees serves its true purpose only when it's proper and timely. What wou... Read more
Industry Notes:
Intermediaries Won't Field ZPIC Questions
They will take your ZPIC appeals, though. The lines may get blurry when it comes to ZPIC ... Read more
If you've been letting your OASIS data
If you've been letting your OASIS data submission slide, now's the time to prioritize it.... Read more
If it seems like your referring physicians
If it seems like your referring physicians are ignorant of the fraud and abuse rules gove... Read more
With only two months to go before
With only two months to go before durable medical equipment competitive bidding goes live... Read more
The Fiscal Intermediary Shared System
contractor has added to the list of diagnosis codes that are causing delays for some clai... Read more
You soon may have access to training
You soon may have access to training materials that will help your visiting staff stay sa... Read more
Investigations into Amedisys Inc.'s therapy
Investigations into Amedisys Inc.'s therapy provision by The Wall Street Journal, U.S. Se... Read more
Jackson, Mich.-based Great Lakes
Jackson, Mich.-based Great Lakes Home Health has purchased Bingham Farmsbased In-House Ho... Read more
A home health agency patient recruiter
A home health agency patient recruiter in Houston has pled guilty in a $5.2 million Medic... Read more
Reimbursement:
PECOS Edit Delay Gives Providers Breathing Room
Stay on your docs to enroll, however. You now have an extra six months to avert a cash fl... Read more
Regulations:
Proposed CHOW Exceptions Don't Go Far Enough
The 36-month rule's limits on your selling options may surprise you. Lots of innocent pro... Read more
Survey & Certification:
Learn These 4 Exceptions To The 36-Month Rule
In the 2011 prospective payment system proposed rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medic... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Anti-Fraud Moratorium, Compliance Plan Rules On Deck
A moratorium would help some, hinder others. Medicare has some newly proposed antifraud r... Read more
Industry Notes:
Keep Your Flu Shot Billing Straight With These Resources
Don't bill separately for vaccination supplies, intermediary warns. With fall comes flu s... Read more
Coding Snafu Causes Payment Delays.
• A payment system glitch based on diagnosis codes may be hanging up your claims for pat... Read more
New Guidance For Hospice Surveyors Issued.
The big changes to hospice regulations that have taken place recently have officially hit... Read more
CMS Takes OIG Recommendation On Date Of Death Payment Errors.
Starting next April, your patients' Common Working File charts may get more accurate than... Read more
Submit ADR Responses Carefully To Avoid Confusion
When you receive an additional development request, submitting comprehensive documentatio... Read more
Senator Wants Medicare Contractors To Get Tough
Obtaining the Medicare payments that are rightfully yours may get even tougher if one inf... Read more
Keep Tabs On Employees To Avoid Payroll Theft
You might want to look within your own ranks for your biggest financial threat. That's a ... Read more
Hospital Company Founder Launches Home Care Venture
A new provider is looking to enter the high-acuity home care market. Laughlin Healthcare ... Read more
29-State Hospital Chain Buys Florida HHA
Lakeland, Fla.-based Advantage Home Health Services has been acquired by an affiliate of ... Read more
Feds Bust Organized Crime Medicare Fraud Scheme
The feds have taken down one of the huge Medicare fraud schemes of the type that is makin... Read more
Reader Question:
Know When To Submit Your Claims For PECOS-Pending Docs
Payment will be based on submission dates, not dates of service. Question: If a doctor ha... Read more
Reimbursement:
Payment Suspension Proposal Draws Criticism
New anti-fraud regs increase CMS's reach to combat fraud and abuse. A disgruntled employe... Read more
Compliance:
Get Ready For Tougher Enrollment Screening
New regs would charge you for your trouble. Your Medicare payments are poised to come wit... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
OIG Targets These Home Care Hot Spots For Scrutiny In 2011
HHAs' profit margins, HHRG coding accuracy, and OASIS data will be some of the critical i... Read more
Medical Review:
Intermediary Review Grows, Thanks To New Contractors
If you get a a probe review notice, don't do this. More medical review from ZPICs and RAC... Read more
Audits:
Insufficient Documentation Weakness Among Medicare Providers, Auditors Say
Stay on top of audit requests so you're able to meet all request deadlines. Medical revie... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Anti-Fraud Law Could Delay Your Medicare Payments
Law requires Medicare to use 'predictive modeling' to target claims for pre-pay scrutiny.... Read more
Industry Notes:
PECOS Rejections Start In Less Than 3 Months
If you want to get a closer look at the instructions for the PECOS physician edits your c... Read more
Industry Notes:
HHS Doubles Senior Medicare Patrol Funding
You'll have more sets of eyes examining your claims soon -- and they may not be the eyes ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Tap New Secondary Payor Tool
When a patient has no other insurance coverage besides Medicare, you can be sure that Med... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Timely Filing Deadline Hits Dec. 31
You have less than three months to get in your pre-2010 Medicare claims, or risk losing t... Read more
Industry Notes:
Reset Your Billing System Password More Often
You'd better brush up on your billing security procedures if NGS/NHIC is your Medicare co... Read more
Industry Notes:
RHHI Gives Managed Care Billing Answers
Billing for HHA services to Medicare Advantage-enrolled patients can be a big head-ache. ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Refer SNFs To New Community Care Brochure
If you'd like to encourage your referring skilled nursing facilities to consider discharg... Read more
Industry Notes:
HHA Fraudster In Detroit Pleads Guilty
Another participant in a Detroit-area HHA fraud scheme has pleaded guilty. After six of t... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hawaii HHA Slapped With Age Discrimination Suit
Lawsuits from employees don't just come in the false claims or wage and hour varieties. C... Read more
Reimbursement:
Watch For Physician PECOS Edits Now Or Pay Later
Warning: Informational edits starting Oct. 4 are easy to overlook. Your cash flow could b... Read more
Billing:
Take These 5 Steps To Head Off PECOS Edit Disaster
Don't wait for RAs to check your docs. Use the next three months wisely to make sure your... Read more
Clip & Save:
PECOS Physician-Check Protocol
Use this simple checklist from Astrid Medical Services to see whether your referring phys... Read more
Hospice:
OIG Scrutinizes Overlapping Hospice, Physician Payments
Federal watchdog has its eye on you if physicians are billing for your patients. A factor... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Bone Up Now On 6 Major Changes to Home Care Coding
Avoid new coding pitfalls that could cost you case mix points. With the 122 new, deleted,... Read more
ICD-9:
Gain Extra Points With 3 New Case Mix Codes
Don't list new fecal impaction code for all patients with constipation. As the ICD-9 code... Read more
Industry Notes:
Tougher Medicare Provider Screening Slated For Next Year
Beware payment suspensions without warning. The mandates contained in this year's health ... Read more
Hospices Happiest With Their Intermediaries.
Home care providers are above average in their satisfaction with their Medicare contracto... Read more
New Stark Self-Disclosure Protocol Mitigates Penalties.
Another Affordable Care Act provision may affect you if you run into trouble with your ph... Read more
Amedisys Shuts Down Locations, Receives DOJ Investigation Demand.
The investigation into therapy provision practices at publicly traded companies appears t... Read more
Time Still Remains To Head Off 2% CAHPS Cut
You don't have to take a 2 percent hit to your Medicare reimbursement if you haven't star... Read more
Next Year To Be Last ICD-9 Code Update
CMS has followed through on its proposal to update the ICD-9 code set one last time on Oc... Read more
Tap These Free Falls Prevention Tools From PTs
Looking for new falls prevention education tools? The American Physical Therapy Associati... Read more
Miami HHA Owners, Recruiters Get Jail Time
More individuals are going to jail for Miami-area home health agency fraud. Owners and pa... Read more
Looking For The Pharmacy ODF? It's Moved.
CMS's Special Open Door Forum on pharmacy enrollment has moved to Oct. 13, CMS notes in a... Read more
VNSNY Purchases White Plains Hospital Agency
The Visiting Nurse Service of New York has bought the White Plains Hospital Center's... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Take These 6 Steps To Prepare For ZPIC Audits
You can bet homebound status will be a vulnerable point. ZPIC audits are shutting down ho... Read more
Audits:
Use These 7 Tips To Survive A ZPIC Audit
Hop on probe letters to avoid a full-blown audit. Like many home care providers nationwid... Read more
Policy:
MedPAC Sets Sights On Home Care -- Again
HHA, hospice, and DME prone to overutilization, fraud, and abuse, commission says. If you... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Use This Checklist To Help You Implement ICD-9 Changes
Fewer changes this year signal that ICD-10 preparations are under way. It's that time aga... Read more
Competitive Bidding:
Bidding Hearing Gives Suppliers Little Hope Of Delay
Jan. 1 implementation date for DME competitive bidding looms. Durable medical equipment s... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Legislation Takes Aim At Medicare Fraud
OIG powers would be expanded under bill. Congress' assault on fraud in the Medicare progr... Read more
Medicare Issues PECOS Enrollment Instructions For Ordering Docs.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is clearing one more obstacle from the p... Read more
Guard Against Whistleblowers.
With all the new regulatory and payment burdens hitting home care providers, don't overlo... Read more
Schedule Around PECOS 'Dark Days'
You'd better reschedule any PECOSrelated work you have planned for this week. The Interne... Read more
Home Care Cuts Hurt Patients, Newspaper Says
States making big Medicaid cuts to home care are also making a big mistake. So says one n... Read more
OIG Blasts Suppliers' KX Modifier Claims
Another OIG report is projecting millions in Medicare overpayments for DME billed with th... Read more
Keep Dates Straight Or Risk RAP Rejections
If you mix up the dates on your request for anticipated payment, you'll have to cancel th... Read more
Payment Glitch Holds Up Palmetto Providers' Pay
If Palmetto is your Medicare contractor and you have claims suspending in status and loca... Read more
Stable Patients Equal Hospice Denials, Contractor Says
You'd better beef up documentation for your hospice patients whose conditions are holding... Read more
Regulations:
Face-To-Face HHA Requirement Could Slash Your Patient Census
Agencies will have little control over new physician-related payment condition. Home heal... Read more
Referrals:
Are You Prepared To Discharge Patients Based On The Face-To-Face Physician Visit?
Small providers will bear the brunt of the new rule's impact, expert predicts. Home healt... Read more
Hospice:
Hospice Face-to-Face Encounter Rule Could Block Patient Access
Keep new regulatory costs in check with help from nurse practitioners. Hospice physicians... Read more
Hospice:
Hospice Providers Look For Face-To-Face Answers
The countdown to the final rule begins. The proposed face-to-face hospice encounter rule ... Read more
Reimbursement:
Edits Hit Hospice Claims For Lymphoma, Myeloma Patients
How well does your documentation support patients' six-month prognosis? You need to sharp... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospices Stay Out Of Assisted Suicide Fray
One-quarter of Ore.'s hospices don't participate in physician-assisted death process, stu... Read more
Check Out New Physician Payment Website.
The feds are trying to make it easier for you to figure out exactly how much your referri... Read more
Intermediary Clinches MAC Contract.
The transition from regional home health intermediary to Home Health and Hospice Medicare... Read more
Medicaid Covers Hospice And Curative Care For Kids
CMS has given state Medicaid programs their marching orders about furnishing hospice to c... Read more
Protect Your Medicare Identity In PECOS
Don't let Medicare fraudsters steal your Medicare identity and ruin your billing and comp... Read more
Payment Cuts Poised To Hit Part B Therapy
Home health agencies that furnish Part B outpatient therapy can't afford to ignore physic... Read more
Document Patient Transfer Efforts Like This, RHHI Says
If you're wondering how to prove that you looked up a beneficiary in the Health Insurance... Read more
HHA Nurse Found Not Guilty Of Patient Neglect
How much are your nurses on the hook for their patients' condition? Not as much as you mi... Read more
Another N.Y. County Switches To Private Home Care
Another county-run home health agency in New York looks likely to transition to private o... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
ZPICs Take Down Home Care Providers
You might be next on the fraud contractors' hit list, experts warn. You could be in for a... Read more
Reimbursement:
Therapy, Outliers Catch ZPICs' Eye
Zone Program Integrity Contractors use the blanket term of "aberrant billing" to describe ... Read more
Audits:
Texas HHA Faces Closure Based On 40 Claims
When a ZPIC knocks on your door, you're already in trouble. If you aren't taking ZPICs se... Read more
Case Study:
Homebound Status Trips Up Audited HHA
If your patient is leaving the home, you'd better show it takes a great and taxing effort... Read more
Hospice:
Know Your Care Plan Duties For Hospice Patients In Nursing Homes
Avoid survey troubles with this expert advice. If you're confused over how to comply with... Read more
Industry Notes:
Watch Out For Pre-Pay Review For Test Strips
Medicare wastes $50 million on high-utilization test strips, OIG says. If you supply bloo... Read more
Beware Adjusted Claims Payment Problem
You can expect big delays to adjustment payments for some home health agency claims, than... Read more
Get Ready For PECOS Informational Edits.
Starting next month, you'll find out how big of a bite the PECOS requirement is going to ... Read more
OSC Snafu Stalls Hospice Reimbursement.
A payment system glitch could be holding up your hospice claims, but a temporary solution... Read more
Work ICD-10 Costs Into Your Budget
You'd better start figuring ICD-10 transition costs into your ever-shrinking budget. "The... Read more
September Last Month To Avoid CAHPS Pay Cut
This month is your last chance to get on the CAHPS train and avoid a 2 percent Medicare p... Read more
Examine Male Patients For Cognitive Impairment
You may want to look at your male patients a little more critically when filling out OASI... Read more
Former HHA Secretary Pleads Guilty To Embezzling
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer -- but sometimes it's hard to tell t... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
Submit Your PPS Rule Comments Before It's Too Late
Don't let major payment and regulatory changes happen without your input. Home health age... Read more
Regulations:
Avoid This Mistake Nearly 7,000 Agencies Are Making
CAHPS, OASIS manuals, PECOS, ABNs also addressed in forum. Registering only one user to s... Read more
Therapy:
Focus On Outpatient Therapy In The Home To Reap Big Rewards
Act now on this growing trend -- before your competition does. If you aren't providing ou... Read more
Marketing:
Here's How To Market Your At-Home Therapy Services
Adjust your marketing mindset for a new patient population. Marketing for your outpatient... Read more
Hospice:
Review These New Hospice Claim Requirements
Watch for this year's new claims edits to keep hospice reimbursement flowing. This year h... Read more
Industry Notes:
Edit Shoots Down Nearly All Hypertension Claims
COPD claims also see high denial rate. If you're submitting claims for long-stay patients... Read more
Industry Notes:
Home Care Fraud Ring Faces Jail Time.
• Seven Miami-area individuals including a physician have pleaded guilty to Medicare ho... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Plans Bidding Educational Calls For Later This Year.
• CMS is staying mum on the topic of DME competitive bidding, but that won't last forev... Read more
Industry Notes:
Watch Out: ZPICs Target Home Care Providers
• Keep your eye on ZPICs, as their audits may be more liable to close your doors than a... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS: Stay Tuned For Pharmacy Accreditation Info
• You can get more information about Medicare pharmacy accreditation in a Sept. 28 Spec... Read more
Industry Notes:
Steer Clear Of This Common Hospice NOE Mistake
• Avoid this common mistake with hospice Notice of Election (NOE) statements, or risk y... Read more
Industry Notes:
Regional Chain Buys KY Hospital-Based HHA
• LHC Group Inc. has acquired the assets of Haggin Home Health from The James B. Haggin... Read more
Industry Notes:
National Chain Expands Med Cert Presence In FL
• Accessible Home Health Care has achieved Medicare and Medicaid certification of its S... Read more
Industry Notes:
Get Your Dates Straight Under New Timely Filing Rules
• Don't forget you have only until Dec. 31 to submit claims with dates of service from ... Read more
Compliance:
Target These 9 Hot Spots In Your HHA Compliance Plan
Therapy should top your list of concerns. A substantial compliance plan is a must in toda... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
New Diagnosis Codes Hit Oct. 1
Learn these new codes for fluid overload, flu, pancreatectomy, seizures. You've only got ... Read more
Human Resources:
Help Staff Boost Their Own Health With This Know-How
To stay on top of your game at work, avoid this No. 1 dietary mistake. For your staff to ... Read more
Staff Health:
Caregivers: Shed Excess Pounds For Good With This Simple Plan
Try these 2 simple strategies in lieu of counting calories. Between the stress of making ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Compare Your Billing To Your Peers' Before The Feds Do
Therapists first target for new Medicare comparative billing reports. A new Medicare prog... Read more
Whistleblower Cases Net Billions For Government Over The Years
The Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT) is taking a bite out ... Read more
Get Ready To Pay The Price For Date Of Death Billing Errors.
The Recovery Audit Contractor for the New England and Mid-Atlantic states has a new durab... Read more
Don't Pitch Patient Records For At Least 6 Years.
Providers often hear conflicting advice regarding how long they must hang on to a patient... Read more
New Cuts Will Put Half Of HHAs In The Red
If the HHA Medicare reimbursement cuts for 2011 and 2012 take place as proposed, half of ... Read more
Early Palliative Care Improves Quality, Longevity
Receiving early palliative care improves quality of life and increases longevity, accordi... Read more
Gentiva's $1B Acquisition Of Odyssey Closes
Gentiva Health Services Inc. has closed its blockbuster acquisition of hospice chain Odys... Read more
Health System Has National Ambitions For Home Care
Health system Bethesda Inc. plans to sell its Consolidated Health Services Inc. home care... Read more
Florida Chain Plans Texas Expansion
Uncertain Medicare reimbursement for home care isn't completely holding business back. Ha... Read more
Testing For 5010 Standards Starts In 4 Months
Are you ready to start testing the Version 5010 HIPAA electronic health care transaction ... Read more
Therapy:
Nip 6 Therapy Documentation Problems In The Bud
Improve your therapy documentation to guard against audits and comply with new rules. The... Read more
Compliance:
Use These 8 Tips To Craft Your Compliance Plan
Don't forget your board when planning your compliance educational efforts. While a corpor... Read more
Education:
Sign Up For PPS, Compliance, And Regulatory Training Before It's Too Late
Check out Eli audioconferences on the PPS 2011’s rule many provisions, whistleblow... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
Which New Diagnosis Codes Could Impact Your PPS Pay?
New potential case mix codes will offer increased specificity ICD-10 is coming fast, but ... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Look For New Obesity Codes This Fall
Master these coding changes by Oct. 1. It's less than a few short months until you must b... Read more
Industry Notes:
Home Care Providers Win Leeway On Timely Filing
Count the 12-month deadline from your 'through' date. The one-year filing deadline for Me... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medicare Wastes Millions On Capped Rental Repairs, OIG Says.
Getting claims for repair of DME capped rental items to go through could become a lot har... Read more
Industry Notes:
Expect Harsher Scrutiny From ZPICs.
• The public -- and Congress -- are taking notice of Program Safeguard Contractors' tra... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medicare Trust Fund Solvency Improves On Backs Of Providers.
All the money stripped out of home care providers' Medicare payments is ending up somewhe... Read more
Industry News:
Help Hospitals With New Readmission Measures
• You might be able to improve your relationship with referring hospitals if you can he... Read more
Industry News:
Use These DDE Steps For Claims Questions, RHHI Says
Wondering how to figure out why your claim paid less than you submitted for? After medica... Read more
Industry News:
Banking Transition Delayed For Some Providers
If NHIC/NGS is your contractor, don't worry that you missed the banking transition deadli... Read more
Industry News:
Get Your ADR Details Right When Responding
Look carefully on additional development request (ADR) letters to make sure you're sendin... Read more
Industry News:
HHA Chains Perform Below Expectations
The U.S. Senate and Securities and Exchange Commission's probes into home health therapy ... Read more
Industry News:
Gentiva-Odyssey Deal Proceeds Despite Therapy Probe
Gentiva Health Services Inc.'s acquisition of hospice chain Odyssey Healthcare Inc. appea... Read more
Therapy:
Get Ready For Required Measurements, Reassessments For Therapy
CMS cracks down on therapy utilization in 2011 PPS proposed rule. Are you hearing the ... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
New Regs Likely To Intensify HHA Therapist Shortage
Get started on improving your therapy documentation right now. If your therapists have go... Read more
Billing:
PPS Rule Targets Therapy Assistant Use For Scrutiny
CMS wants new G codes for assistant visits. You might have to use therapy assistants much... Read more
Labor Law:
Lawmakers Want To Kill HHA Companionship Exemption
New legislation tackles the hotly contested topic. The way your agency furnishes home car... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Issues Bidding Instructions To HHAs
Be aware of your area's bidding status. Don't expect competitive bidding to pass you by j... Read more
DME Suppliers Continue Fight Against Competitive Bidding.
• Meanwhile, DME suppliers continue to fight against the competitive bidding program. In... Read more
OIG Shines Spotlight On Language Services.
If you haven't conducted a four-factor assessment when determining what language access s... Read more
Feds Implement RAC Checks And Balances.
CMS is using multiple tools to keep its bounty hunters accountable. Recovery Audit Contra... Read more
Follow Contractor's Q Code Advice For Hospice
Choosing the right Q code for your hospice patient can be tricky. Follow this rule of thu... Read more
CMS To Pharmacies:
Don't Dump Accreditation Yet
The economic stimulus bill last year gave pharmacies until Jan. 1, 2011 to comply with Me... Read more
Tap Accreditor's Resources For Falls Prevention Help
You've got an ally in your efforts to protect your patients from falls -- The Joint ... Read more
Therapy Inquiry Dogs HHA Companies, Despite Profits
Publicly traded home care companies continue to fight the effects of Senate and Securitie... Read more
National Chain Sets Sights On Med Cert Market
A national home care chain is looking to beef up its Med-cert presence. Willing Holding I... Read more
Five Defendants Plead Guilty In Florida HHA Scam
Five South Floridians have pled guilty to their parts in a home health agency scheme, the... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
HHA Rates Slashed Nearly 5% In 2011 Proposed Rule
Cut for case mix creep shoots up, thanks in large part to therapy utilization changes. Ge... Read more
Regulations:
Face-To-Face Rule Brings New Round Of Physician Headaches
Doc must see patient 30 days before or two weeks after start of care -- and sometime... Read more
Reimbursement:
Prepare For New Therapy Requirements Under PPS Rule
PPS rule chock full of changes for HHAs. The U.S. Senate and the Securities and Exchange ... Read more
Hospice:
Medicare Rates To Increase 1.8% For Hospices
Hospices face their own face-to-face encounter requirement under HH PPS rule. Starting Oc... Read more
Industry Notes:
HHAs, Suppliers Top Medicare Improper Payment List
Agencies fail to document claims, CERT finds. Home care providers have an even larger tar... Read more
HEAT Force Arrests 94
When the Medicare Fraud Strike Force has a big day, it has a very big day. On July 16, th... Read more
Pharmacy Makes Big HIPAA Settlement.
If you've been leaving HIPAA complianceon the back burner, there's a good reason to move ... Read more
Shareholders Dislike Therapy Investigations.
Publicly traded home care companies continue to fight the effects of an investigation int... Read more
CMS Sinks $2B Into Rebalancing Toward Home
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is putting another $2.25 billion toward ... Read more
New Appeals Penalties May Keep RACs In Check
Even though Recovery Audit Contractors are Medicare bounty hunters, a new appeals policy ... Read more
Rural Add-On Creates Pricer Complications
The two PC Pricers CMS issued for HHAs in June were necessary due to the rural addon that... Read more
Will Your Injection Practices Stand Up To Scrutiny?
Safe injection practices will be a focus of your survey if you're accredited by the Joint... Read more
U.K #1 In End-Of-Life Care; U.S. Ranks #9 Of 30
The United Kingdom ranked number one in a new study gauging the quality of end-oflife car... Read more
New Point Of Origin Codes Confuse HHAs
You're going to have to use your judgment when deciding between new point of origin codes... Read more
Enrollment:
CMS Offers No Assurances On PECOS Recoupment
Warning: Claims related to docs not enrolled in PECOS may be at risk. You should add a fe... Read more
Enrollment:
Suppliers Still Locked Out Of PECOS
CMS pushes back to this fall new PECOS access timeline for DMEPOS. Besides ordering physi... Read more
Regulations:
HHAs, Hospices Wait For Face-To-Face Requirement Regs
Rule should be out any day, feds say. More burdensome health care reform law provisions s... Read more
Patient Satisfaction:
Hop On CAHPS Before 3Q Deadline Passes
Missing out on the patient satisfaction survey requirement now means taking a 2 percent r... Read more
Reimbursement:
This Fall, Use New File To Head Off Bundling Rejections
Keeping tabs on doc billing could help keep you from getting stuck holding the bag. The f... Read more
Industry Notes:
OIG Estimates $137 Million In KX Overpayments For DME
Suppliers on the hot seat again as watchdog agency takes a close look at documentation. W... Read more
Get Your New Point Of Origin Code Right
Transfer coding changes aren't the only differences you'll see thanks to the swing from t... Read more
CMS To Expand HIPAA Enforcement
• Get ready to pay more attention to your HIPAA compliance. A new proposed rule from the... Read more
Get RAC Facts In New Educational Article.
If you want to get a jump on Recovery  Audit Contractors, you should assemble a RAC ... Read more
NGS:
Update Contractors With Your Contact Info
RACs aren't the only ones who need to know how to get a hold of you. You can't defend you... Read more
Hospital Readmission Rates Stuck In Holding Pattern
CMS continues to shine a spotlight on hospital readmission rates, and the focus could hel... Read more
Texas HHA Sues Client For Poaching Staff
If you're frustrated with clients poaching your caregiving staff, you may want to take a ... Read more
Rotech Wins Bids, Lincare Does Not
• One of the 364 suppliers offered contracts under DME competitive bidding is Rotech Hea... Read more
New York Chain Expands West
Home Care Rochester (of New York) is expanding once again. HCR, owned by L. Woerner Inc.,... Read more
Berwick's Appointment Could Signal Big Changes
President Obama's July 7 appointment of Dr. Donald Berwick as CMS Administrator continues... Read more
Enrollment:
HHAs Tread Cautiously In PECOS Quagmire
Help your docs enroll before accepting their patients, trade group advises. The feds' sta... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
SEC Launches Home Care Therapy Investigation
Wall Street Journal article impact continues. If you thought you had a good reason to min... Read more
Competitive Bidding:
Bidding To Slash DME Payments By One-Third
Bidding on track to take effect Jan. 1. Nine areas of the country will see drastically re... Read more
Risk Management:
Preempt the Perils of Online Social Media Forums
Prohibit your staff from making this No. 1 privacy mistake. Online social forums provide ... Read more
HIPAA:
Real-World Cases Highlight Dangers of Privacy Violations
Nurses take heat for online privacy violations. Looking for cautionary scenarios to keep ... Read more
Billing:
Test Your 5010 Readiness With At Least 25 Claims
Start your internal testing ASAP, CMS Says. When testing whether you'll be able to approp... Read more
Industry Notes:
Follow Signature Rules Or Risk Reimbursement
Never accept stamped signatures. If your ordering physicians like to sign with just their... Read more
Industry Notes:
There may be a permanent CMS head
There may be a permanent CMS head sooner than expected. President Obama plans to bypass t... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospital patients at end of life need to
Hospital patients at end of life need to have better communication with their physicians ... Read more
Industry Notes:
The marching orders that will exempt
The marching orders that will exempt pharmacies from DME accreditation requirements have ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Your hard-of-hearing patients may benefit
Your hard-of-hearing patients may benefit from some physical activity. The American Journ... Read more
Industry Notes:
If you're not conducting criminal background
If you're not conducting criminal background checks carefully, it could close your doors.... Read more
Industry Notes:
Long Island's North Shore University
Long Island's North Shore University Hospital has agreed to purchase New York City's Sain... Read more
Industry Notes:
LHC Group Inc. has entered into a
LHC Group Inc. has entered into a home health joint venture with The Health Care Authorit... Read more
Enrollment:
PECOS Deadline Sparks Industry Uproar
Implementation date confusion for the referring physician requirement is widespread. You'... Read more
Compliance:
Take These Steps To Head Off PECOS Disaster
You might have to discharge 40% of your patients. If the feds persist in enforcing the ne... Read more
Clip And Save:
PECOS Physician-Check Protocol
Use this simple checklist from Astrid Medical Services to see whether your referring physi... Read more
Tools:
Use This Sample Letter To Tackle Your PECOS Problems
Don't delay in addressing this pressing billing and compliance issue. Customize this samp... Read more
Reimbursement:
Optimize Your Billers' Efficiency With 3 Tips
Be proactive -- not reactive -- to accounts receivable changes. Many billing ch... Read more
HIPAA:
New 5010 Form Requirements Hit In 2011
ICD-10 implementation will start with this claim form change. ICD-10 implementation may n... Read more
Industry Notes:
Now's The Time To Put New Transfer Code On Claims
The time has come to say goodbye to source of admission codes B and C. Don't let all the ... Read more
Industry Notes:
For once, home health agencies are
For once, home health agencies are catching a break on a claims payment error. Back in Ma... Read more
Industry Notes:
Congress finally passed a so-called "doc fix" bill,
Congress finally passed a so-called "doc fix" bill, a week after Medicare contractors sta... Read more
Industry Notes:
Durable medical equipment suppliers
Durable medical equipment suppliers see lots of payment changes in the latest physician p... Read more
Industry Notes:
When RAC reviews hit home health
When RAC reviews hit home health agencies and hospices, you'd better keep your appeals sk... Read more
Industry Notes:
At press time, home care providers in
At press time, home care providers in the Gulf Coast were readying their disaster plans i... Read more
Industry Notes:
A small claims processing glitch has finally been resolved
A small claims processing glitch has finally been resolved after more than a year. From J... Read more
Industry Notes:
DME suppliers are having to fight more
DME suppliers are having to fight more backlash thanks to fraudsters. In Indiana, individ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Nine out of 10 Medicare beneficiaries'
Nine out of 10 Medicare beneficiaries' deaths are associated with chronic illness, and mo... Read more
Compliance:
Focus On Your Compliance Plan Now Or Pay Later
Enhanced fraud-fighting atmosphere makes your plan more important than ever. If the feds ... Read more
Strategy:
Avoid These Common Compliance Plan Mistakes
Letting a plan collect dust on the shelf is a big no-no. Many home care providers have go... Read more
Regulations:
Tap These Resources To Master Your Compliance Plan
Don't stop with the OIG guidance. Crafting or updating your organization's compliance pla... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
GAO Wants RACs To Focus On Home Care Claims
CMS should toughen up procedures to fight improper payments. You may feel like your life ... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Write The 2013 ICD-10 Start Date In Pen
The feds also want to freeze ICD-9 coding after next year. If you were hoping that the Oc... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospital Readmissions Grab The Spotlight
Home care could play a vital role in preventing unnecessary health spending. Your hard wo... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medical reviewers may start taking a
Medical reviewers may start taking a harder look at ENT claims for nursing home patients,... Read more
Industry Notes:
If you're wondering how to get your
If you're wondering how to get your patients to adhere to their medication regimens and i... Read more
Industry Notes:
When Recovery Audit Contractor
When Recovery Audit Contractor reviews hit home health agencies and hospices, they'll kno... Read more
Industry Notes:
Having trouble registering
Having trouble registering in the new electronic provider statistical and reimbursement (... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don't be surprised if your referring
Don't be surprised if your referring physicians are extra grumpy. Congress failed to aver... Read more
Industry Notes:
A new home health prospective payment
A new home health prospective payment system pricer for 2010 is available for download, C... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don't expect a new CMS Administrator
Don't expect a new CMS Administrator any time soon. Confirmation of President Obama's nom... Read more
Industry Notes:
If you're accredited by the Joint Commission,
If you're accredited by the Joint Commission, you'll want to be especially careful to pay... Read more
Industry Notes:
A home health nurse faces up to 10
A home health nurse faces up to 10 years in a prison and a $250,000 fine after pleading g... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Check Out These New Diagnosis Codes For 2011
Welcome detailed H1N1 pneumonia combination codes. New pneumonia, fluency disorder, and c... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Fraud-Fighting Program Ramps Up
In 2009, the Senior Medicare Patrol Project collected triple its 2008 amount. The governm... Read more
Know Your Facts:
Here's Where The Senior Medicare Patrol Project Is Most Active
New York and Michigan have beefed up their SMP rosters, while other states, such as S. Ca... Read more
Compliance:
In Heightened Compliance Environment, Examine Reporting Hierarchy
How your compliance officer reports to the Board could doom you. How often does your comp... Read more
Audits:
Fraud Hammer Continues To Pound Home Care
OIG's latest report highlights HHA outliers, DME support surfaces. The feds have three bi... Read more
Industry Notes:
Home Infusion Could Save Medicare Money, GAO Says
Private sector insurance often opts for home infusion. Your non-homebound patient busines... Read more
Industry Notes:
With Medicare's Recovery Audit Contractors and other fraud hunters turned loose
With Medicare's Recovery Audit Contractors and other fraud hunters turned loose thanks to... Read more
Industry Notes:
Expect more scrutiny of your claims, thanks to President Obama directing HHS
Expect more scrutiny of your claims, thanks to President Obama directing HHS to cut Medic... Read more
Industry Notes:
You may find Medicare appeals processes
You may find Medicare appeals processes a little more flexible under a new instruction fr... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don't expect a RAP payment
Don't expect a RAP payment if your patient has an open Medicare Secondary Payor record. S... Read more
Industry Notes:
Despite the home medical equipment
Despite the home medical equipment industry's best efforts, the Jan. 1 implementation dat... Read more
Industry Notes:
You won't see any big changes from
You won't see any big changes from RHHI Palmetto GBA as a result of its Home Health Medic... Read more
Industry Notes:
You can brush up on the basics
• You can brush up on the basics of signature requirements -- and avoid denials&nbs... Read more
Industry Notes:
Difficulty accessing hospice care isn't
Difficulty accessing hospice care isn't only a problem in this country. There is not enou... Read more
Regulations:
Watch For Face-To-Face Details In Upcoming PPS Rule
PPACA, process measures, CAHPS also discussed in Open Door Forum. Provisions from the hea... Read more
Quality Improvement:
Process-Based Improvement Requirements Hit HHAs
OASIS C-based process measures are poised to catch up with you. Home care workers have a ... Read more
Reimbursement:
Put PECOS Requirements On Your Radar Right Now
You could pay in claims review if you don't meet the July deadline. If you choose to igno... Read more
Hospice:
Hospice Use May Grow If Concurrent Care Demo
PPACA isn't all bad news for hospice providers. Many terminally ill patients refuse to el... Read more
Industry Notes:
Red Flag Rule Sees Another Delay
You have until the new year to get your identity theft plan in order. Your Red Flags Rule... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS may not be releasing details about
CMS may not be releasing details about the financial standards for the durable medical eq... Read more
Industry Notes:
Wondering how your lengths of stay
Wondering how your lengths of stay for non-cancer patients stack up to your peers'? ... Read more
Industry Notes:
There is some good news
There is some good news about the Medicare program's new requirement that claims must be ... Read more
Industry Notes:
You'd better make sure your HIPAA
You'd better make sure your HIPAA breach policies and procedures are up to snuff, because... Read more
Industry Notes:
Congress hasn't yet passed a bill to fix
Congress hasn't yet passed a bill to fix the 21 percent cut that was supposed to hit phys... Read more
Industry Notes:
If you've been using regional home
If you've been using regional home health intermediary Cahaba GBA's sample form for physi... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don't forget to pick up your new best
Don't forget to pick up your new best practice intervention package from the home health ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Want to find out how the new 5010
Want to find out how the new 5010 claim standards will work with ICD-10 coding? Tune in t... Read more
Industry Notes:
Having trouble getting your billing
Having trouble getting your billing problems resolved by regional home health intermediar... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Gear Up For ICD-10 Implementation Around The Corner
Don't count on a grace period or delays, feds say in new FAQs. While some providers have ... Read more
Hospice:
Gentiva To Buy Odyssey For Nearly $1 Billion
Don't expect your hospice's valuation to go up as a result, one expert cautions. It's tim... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions; Home Health Deals Continue To Build
Check out the decade's largest home health transactions. Despite uncertain Medicare reimb... Read more
Audits:
RACs Can No Longer Keep Fees After Losing Appeals
Plus: You'll soon be able to review the most common errors that the RACs find. The feds a... Read more
Know Your Facts:
Recovery Audit Contractors: Know These RAC Fast Facts
RACs are just another tool in the government's arsenal to collect improper payments. You'... Read more
Education:
Sidestep Compliance Landmines With This Training
Check out Eli audioconferences on the CAHPS requirement, joint ventures, wound healing, ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Keep Track Of Your Incorrect NRS Payments
New system glitch is overpaying claims. Add one more headache to your Medicare claims pai... Read more
Industry Notes
• Home care providers may benefit from a lawsuit filed by physician groups over the Red ... Read more
Industry Notes
• One part of the regional home health intermediary-to-Medicare Administrative Contracto... Read more
Industry Notes
• Take time to fill out some user ID-related paperwork if National Government Services i... Read more
Industry Notes
• Clinical review judgment (CRJ) may help you if your claims get caught up in medical re... Read more
Industry Notes
• Palmetto GBA's April 30 deadline to send in licensure information may be past, but it'... Read more
Industry Notes
• Four new individuals will be helping decide the fate of your Medicare reimbursement. T... Read more
Industry Notes
• If you feel like the authorities have turned a deaf ear when you've tried to report fr... Read more
Industry Notes
• An April fix for the Medicare claims system incorrectly applying U5181 didn't work, re... Read more
Industry Notes
• Baton Rouge, La.-based LHC Group Inc. plans to buy Twin Falls, Idaho-based Idaho Home ... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Senate Puts Home Health Therapy In The Hot Seat
Wall Street Journal article sparks congressional HHA probe. Changes in your therapy visit... Read more
Billing:
Drop A 'Jr.' In A Patient's Name And Face Denials With 5010
Claims system to get much pickier when new claim form hits. You'll want to start double- ... Read more
Human Resources:
5 Tips Help You Steer Clear of Sharps Injuries
Don't stick with this No. 1 bad habit known to cause injuries. Prevention is the best rem... Read more
Occupational Safety:
Know Your Options for Managing Needlestick Injuries
You should consider HIV prophylaxis for an employee in this scenario. Picture this: You'r... Read more
Competitive Bidding:
Campaign To Repeal Bidding Hits Roadblocks
Repeal would cost $9.6 billion, CBO says. Durable medical equipment suppliers desperately... Read more
Industry Notes:
Watch For New CHOW Guidance To Replace Current Rule
Change in rule will help only some HHA ownership transitions. The feds have rescinded the... Read more
Industry Notes
• The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice plan to buil... Read more
Industry Notes
• Just when you thought you could rest on your HIPAA laurels, a new case indicates that ... Read more
Industry Notes
• If your Medicare contractor identified an overpayment that the Medicare program paid y... Read more
Industry Notes
• The Florida Medicaid program plans to use voice recognition technology to fight home c... Read more
Industry Notes
• If you're owed more money on a claim that was submitted and processed before PPACA pay... Read more
Industry Notes
• CMS's take on the new 12-month deadline for submitting Medicare claims will make the t... Read more
Industry Notes
• Don't bother sending in certification for your psych nurses -- it's no longer nec... Read more
Industry Notes
• Gentiva Health Services Inc. saw its profits cut nearly in half in the latest quarter.... Read more
Industry Notes
• Amedisys Inc. will be one of the agencies receiving a piece of the pay for performance... Read more
Industry Notes
• Authorities arrested an HHA owner in Orange, N.J. on charges that his agency billed Me... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Health Care Reform Brings Major Compliance Changes
One guilty-until-proven-innocent provision will shutter some blameless providers, expert ... Read more
Audits:
Medicaid RACs Slated To Fire Up This Year
Will the new Medicaid bounty hunters duplicate MIC scrutiny? If you submit claims to Medi... Read more
Reimbursement:
PECOS Edits Hit HHAs, Suppliers At Same Time
You can't use your own NPI in the physician field starting this fall. You could see your ... Read more
Regulations:
Face-To-Face Encounters Affect Both HHAs And Hospices
And HHAs may be on the hook retroactively. If you were breathing a sigh of relief that yo... Read more
Labor Law:
Labor Law Changes Could Bring Trouble
DOL may revise companionship exemption, endorses penalties for misclassifying contractors... Read more
Industry Notes:
Get To Know New Outlier Cap Remittance Advice Codes
If you're trying to figure out whether your claims have been adjusted due to the outlier c... Read more
Industry Notes
• The home care and therapy industries got a black eye from a Wall Street Journal invest... Read more
Industry Notes
• Medicare contractors will need to have a little better proof when they revoke your bil... Read more
Industry Notes
• Get ready for more than 130 new ICD-9 diagnosis codes debuting on Oct. 1. CMS has prop... Read more
Industry Notes
• Hospice patients who revoke the hospice benefit don't have to wait any prescribed amou... Read more
Industry Notes
• If you need more ammo to convince lawand policymakers that funding home care makes goo... Read more
Industry Notes
• You can stop worrying about coming up with a list of approved abbreviations, symbols, ... Read more
Industry Notes
• LHC Group Inc. saw positive earnings in the latest quarter. The Lafayette, La.-based c... Read more
Industry Notes
• For-profit hospice chain Odyssey Inc.'s earnings are on the upswing. The Dallas-based ... Read more
Hospice:
Don't Let Tardy Elections Trip Up Your Hospice Billing
Verbal consent doesn't cut it. Confusion over how hospice election dates work could cost ... Read more
Reimbursement:
Nail Hospice Election Requirements With These 5 Steps
Don't forget to recheck your patients for Medicare eligibility. If you fail to get a prop... Read more
Audits:
Take These 5 Steps When An Auditor's On The Way
Prepare your compliance plan before an auditor strikes -- but don't panic if you fee... Read more
Compliance:
Give Your Compliance Program This Quick Litmus Test
If your program fails on these key points, watch out. The time to find out that your comp... Read more
Education:
Sidestep Compliance Landmines With This Training
Check out Eli audioconferences on hospice revocations, OASIS C diagnosis coding, joint v... Read more
Human Resources:
Use These Tips To Gain Acceptance For Your Ideas
Don't let your presentations get too complicated. With so many changes in play for home c... Read more
Industry Notes:
Licensure & Accreditation Documentation Hits More HHAs
Home health agencies served by Palmetto GBA were first out of the chute for a new licensur... Read more
Industry Notes
• By July 1, you'll see your 3 percent addon payments for claims already processed, CMS ... Read more
Industry Notes
• If you're confused about Medicare coverage for diabetic patients' blood glucose self-t... Read more
Industry Notes
• Cahaba GBA and National Government Services aren't the only intermediaries mailing pa... Read more
Industry Notes
• Don't get too comfortable with the idea of Dr. Donald Berwick as the new CMS Administr... Read more
Industry Notes
• If you're not conducting every process measure on OASIS C every time, don't worry. Get... Read more
Industry Notes
• When you receive a claim adjustment due to a Recovery Audit Contractor audit, you're s... Read more
Industry Notes
• Don't expect the Medicare claims system to make your claims tracking any easier. The s... Read more
Industry Notes
• If maintenance and service of oxygen equipment is covered under the equipment's warran... Read more
Industry Notes
• HHAs should be able to do some planning as the next few years' rates are stabilized. T... Read more
Regulations:
Licensure & Accreditation Request To Hit All HHAs
CAHPS deadline, OASIS C Manual among other topics raised in Open Door Forum. Don't breath... Read more
Reimbursement:
Submit Your RAPs Quickly To Keep Supplies Billing On Track
Don't shirk your consolidated billing duties, the feds tell home care providers. Are you ... Read more
Legislation:
Face-To-Face Requirement Applies To Hospices Only,CMS Clarifies
Hospices are in for more medical review under health care reform package. The new health ... Read more
Pay for Performance:
3 Of 4 P4P Demo Regions See Savings
Agencies in non-savings area 'disappointed' to miss out on program rewards. Lots of home ... Read more
Enrollment:
New PECOS Rules May Lighten Home Care Providers' Load
Non-Medicare physicians now can enroll in PECOS, CMS says. Home care providers will soon ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Beware Unintentional Upcoding With Managed Care Patients
Do you know when to count episodes as 'early' or 'late' after patients' Medicare Adv... Read more
Industry Notes
• Watch out for errors on your 1099 Misc form, or you could be in tax trouble. The Inter... Read more
Industry Notes
• CMS isn't planning on releasing thespecifics of its financial standards for DME compet... Read more
Industry Notes
• Don't worry that surveyors will be using your OASIS C data to target survey activities... Read more
Industry Notes
• If you've got questions about the recovery audit contractors (RACs), a new series of ... Read more
Industry News
• When you're working out your plan to transition to ICD-10 diagnosis coding, don't expe... Read more
Industry News
• Don't forget to take a moment next month to recognize your nursing staff's efforts. Na... Read more
Industry News
• If you want to steer clear of fraud and abuse charges from Medicare, you might want to... Read more
Industry News
• Short funds are leading to short-sighted thinking by some state legislators. The Misso... Read more
Industry News
• The pitfalls of Medicare competitive bidding for durable medical equipment are getting... Read more
Industry News
• Medicare isn't the only place where home care fraud is giving legit providers a bad na... Read more
Legislation:
Health Care Reform Brings Host Of Changes To HHAs
More outlier revisions will lower your rates. The biggest home care cuts in the recently ... Read more
Regulations:
New PPACA Regulatory Requirements Will Add To Your Headaches
Get ready for some new physician-related burdens to increase your workload. A number of p... Read more
Patient Satisfaction:
Get Ready: CAHPS Deadline Just Months Away
Exemption application for the patient satisfaction  survey requirement due in June. ... Read more
Therapy:
Untimed Codes May Put Your Part B Therapy Claims At Risk
Don't let RACs bilk you out of this appropriate therapy billing. If you're a home health ... Read more
Human Resources:
Command Respect With A Standardized Feedback Process
Consider these 6 pointers to keep your staff satisfied that you're being fair. As a forme... Read more
Industry Notes:
Expect More RAC Attacks In The Future
And CMS is going to take RAC-discovered vulnerabilities more seriously. If you haven't he... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Readies For More RAC-Inspired Responses
But RACs may be having less overall effect than you'd think. A new Government Accountabili... Read more
Industry Notes
• You'd better pay close attention to your mail or risk having your Medicare billing pri... Read more
Industry Notes
• Don't forget about two new hospice billing requirements that take effect this month.Nu... Read more
Industry Notes
• Medicare fraud isn't the only target for enforcement. The New York Medicaid Fraud Cont... Read more
Industry Notes
• No matter where you are in the country, you'll have to be an accredited durable medica... Read more
Industry Notes
• The home health conditions of participation are back on the table once again. The home... Read more
Industry Notes
• If you've had your hospice claims returned with reason code 32024 recently, you may ne... Read more
Industry Notes
• DME suppliers have more bad press to contend with as they continue their push to get c... Read more
Industry Notes
• The presence of nursing home-affiliated HHAs continues to grow. For example: In Vinton... Read more
Reimbursement:
Watch For Outlier Reconciliation In May
Outlier cap problems resolved, CMS pledges. The road to the 10 percent cap on home health... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
Use These 3 Steps To Keep Your Outliers Under Control
Don't be afraid to admit outlier patients. Home health agencies with large outlier popula... Read more
Hospice:
Improve How You Count Your Inpatient Hospice Visits
CMS offers new guidance on reporting visits in hospice facilities. If your hospice claims... Read more
Audits:
Follow These 6 Rules For Appealing Unfair RAC Denials
Even if you're dead wrong on an issue, check out this often overlooked escape hatch. Reco... Read more
Appeals:
Don't Let RACs Shoot Down Your Whole Claim For A Small Error
Wheelchair appeal targets unfair recoupment amount. Some providers aren't taking what the... Read more
Industry Notes:
Rural Add-Ons Increase HHAs' Reimbursement This Month
3% bump based on beneficiary's residence. The recently enacted health care reform package... Read more
Medical Review:
CERT Targets Physician Signatures In Home Care
Back to the basics: Don't bill unless you have the doc signature on the POC. Just because... Read more
Medical Review :
5 Steps For Better Physician Signature Compliance
Refusing referrals may be your last resort. Follow this expert advice to head off denials... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Start Ramping Up For ICD-10 Coding Now
CMS, AHIMA reps aim to bust ICD-10 myths with expert answers. ICD-10's 2013 implementatio... Read more
Oxygen:
OIG Wants Shorter Oxygen Equipment Rental Periods
Wheelchairs, pressure-reducing surfaces, and other 'usual suspects' also make the cost-cu... Read more
Education:
Head Off RAC Problems With Education
Also check out Eli audioconferences on hospice discharges, CAHPS. Get vital informatio... Read more
Industry Notes:
President Obama Nominates CMS Administrator
Quality, efficiency expected to be focus points. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Organized Crime Gives Home Care A Bad Name
Criminals find Medicare fraud lucrative. The fact that federal fraud fighters recover $4 ... Read more
Regulations:
Line Up Your CAHPS Vendor Before Deadline Hits In Q3
OASIS C, Home Health Compare also addressed in Open Door Forum. In just a few short month... Read more
Hospice:
Use This New Guidance To Report Hospice Social Worker Calls
Site of service codes, ambulance charges also addressed in forum. Don't expect any hard a... Read more
Legislation:
Health Care Reform Package Strips Billions From Home Care Spending
Providers have time to lobby for changes, trade group urges. The health care reform packa... Read more
HIPAA:
Outsourcing Security On Patient Privacy Can Be Helpful -- If You Know These 5 Essential Truths
Learn these facts before you nail down your HIPAA plan with a consultant. You may be reli... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
OIG Calls For Beefed Up Oversight Of HHAs, Hospices
Hospice-nursing home interaction a top priority, watchdog agency says in new report. Home... Read more
Industry Notes:
Use This FISS Option To Track Your Outliers
Medicare claims system failed to cap outliers until recently. Keeping tabs on your outlie... Read more
Medical Review:
Intermediary Denies 88% Of These 5-Visit Episodes
Defend against scrutiny of single nursing or social worker visits with 5 tips. If you're ... Read more
Reimbursement:
Don't Forget MSW Denials
Routine social worker evaluations can torpedo your claims. Sole nursing visit denials may... Read more
Hospice:
Strengthen Your RAC Armor With Attention To Hospice Documentation, Systems
Expect RACs to hit technical items first. Recovery Audit Contractors are sniffing around ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Outlier Tracking Tool Hits Glitch
You might want to track the new 10 percent outlier cap yourself. If you were relying on M... Read more
Enrollment:
Feds Prod Physicians To Enroll In PECOS
Will it be enough to help suppliers avoid mass rejections come January? The Centers for M... Read more
Reader Question:
Don't Look The Other Way On Sexual Harassment From Patients, Families
Recent lawsuit, shooting show why this touchy issue should be a priority. Question: At th... Read more
Hospice:
Prepare Your Defense Against Hospice-Related RAC Audits
Don't rush to cut a check if other providers bill you for recouped items and services. Ev... Read more
Audits:
6 Steps To Get Ready For A RAC Attack
Get specific with your patients' diagnoses. Here are steps you can take now to head off R... Read more
Test Yourself:
Use RAC Knowledge To Brace For Audits
Staying on top of Recovery Audit Contractor information can keep you one step ahead of the... Read more
Human Resources:
5 Ways To Protect Your Workers From Occupational Hazards
These checklists help you keep workers safe and improve retention. If you're looking for ... Read more
Budget:
MedPAC Tells Congress To Cut HHA Spending By $10 Billion
Home health agencies are getting no favors from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Eases Up On CHOW 36-Month Rule
Rule still freezes many M&As. The feds have made good on a pledge to loosen a punishi... Read more
Audits:
RACs Pile On More Home Care Review Topics
Brush up on bundling to combat RAC pressure. Medicare's audit bounty hunters may not yet ... Read more
Clip & Save:
Use This Sample Letter To Reject Bundling Invoices
Prepare the following letter for cases in which you receive invoices after the fact for bu... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
RACs Should Become Fraud Hunters Too, OIG Says
Little secret: The RACs flagged $1 billion in improper payments -- and only 2 cases ... Read more
Test Yourself:
Brush Up On The Facts To Stay A Step Ahead Of The RACs
See if you know the score for how RACs operate. To find out if your RAC know-how is on th... Read more
Reimbursement:
Suppliers Buy 9 Months With PECOS Delay
Keep up the campaign to get your ordering physicians registered. The looming PECOS edits ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Feds Ease Up On DME Phone Restriction
You can call benes based on a doc's order, CMS allows You need to make sure your patients... Read more
OASIS:
Take These 8 Steps To Tackle OASIS C Hotspots
Tame the paper tiger with CMS's item-by-item guidance. If you're like many agencies, OASI... Read more
Assessment:
Ease Your OASIS C Troubles With 2-Part Intake Assessments
Don't forget to allow time for skilled care. You'll get better OASIS C data -- and a... Read more
Medical Review:
More Than Half Of DME Payments Improper, CERT Says
Home health deemed 'high risk' in new report. Changing standards for Medicare's payment e... Read more
Reimbursement:
CMS Delays PECOS Edits
In a Feb. 17 special Open Door Forum, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ann... Read more
Industry Notes:
Know When To Take Credit For Heart Failure Prevention
Question: If you teach a patient with heart failure what to do when she develops signs of... Read more
Education:
Improve OASIS C Wound Items With This Help
Also check out Eli audioconferences on hospice issues, HIPAA compliance, and coding audi... Read more
OASIS:
HHAs Stuck In OASIS C Quagmire
Items on pressure ulcers, processes, and doc notification most troubling in new assessmen... Read more
Reimbursement:
Use This New Code For Transfers This Summer
Say goodbye to claims source of admission codes 'B' and 'C.' Patient transfers from one h... Read more
Studies & Surveys:
Copays Increase Overall Health Care Costs
Most MA plans don't charge copays for home care visits, study finds. If you think copayme... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Ignore Internal Audit Findings At Your Own Peril
The dirt you sweep under the rug could turn into an expensive whistleblower lawsuit. A re... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Hospice Claims Edits To Hit In July
Are you putting the correct site-of-service data on your hospice claims? More hospice cla... Read more
Competitive Bidding:
Feds Single Out DME As Overpaid
Medical equipment payments are 'excessive,' 'inflated,' bidding overview document says. S... Read more
Budget:
President's Budget Calls For Billions In Home Care Cuts
Prepare for fraud scrutiny to ramp up under new 2011 proposal. Comprehensive health care ... Read more
Pay For Performance:
P4P Demo Doles Out Millions To Participants
Expect pay for performance to go nationwide in the future, experts say. Home health agenc... Read more
Competitive Bidding:
CMS Commences Round 1 Bid Selection
Round 2 already in the works. If competitive bidding hasn't hit your area yet, watch for ... Read more
Hospice:
Ward Off Hospice Surveys By Helping SNF Partners
SNF patients on hospice are a trouble spot for both providers. You may find your relation... Read more
Quality:
Technology Reduces Hospital Readmissions -- If You Use It
One-quarter of agencies now have telehealth systems,study says. If you want to improve yo... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospice Claims To Require Yet More Info
If the industry fails to get more specific, Medicare will start requiring line-item billi... Read more
Stricter Capitalization Requirements Throw Up Enrollment Roadblocks
Medicare wants to standardize new HHAs' capitalization amounts. If you're waiting on your... Read more
Regulations:
Check Out Newly Revised OASIS C Manual
Plus: Don't abandon your old HHABN yet, CMS says in forum. The feds are eliminating at lea... Read more
Reimbursement:
Head Off PECOS Edit Rejections With These 5 Steps
Physician number edits threaten DME claims. Suppliers have a few more months to get up to... Read more
Medical Review:
RAC Targets Home Care Topics For Review
HHAs, hospices, and DME suppliers all affected by new audit focus areas. Home health agen... Read more
OASIS:
No Points? Don't Complete M1024 On OASIS C
Throw out this coding convention when deciding on diagnosis codes for the new OASIS C ite... Read more
Industry Notes:
Watch Out For These New Hospice RTP Codes
Are you reporting the new required data on your hospice claims? Now that hospices must re... Read more
Budget:
MedPAC Aims Budget Ax At Home Care Providers
Double digit profit margins drive advisory body's recommendation for cuts. If MedPAC gets... Read more
New MedPAC Recommendations To Congress
For home health agencies Recommendation 1: The Congress should eliminate the market baske... Read more
Hospice:
Hospices Fail To Escape MedPAC's Cost Cutting
Longer LOS, more for-profits wear out hospice industry's goodwill. MedPAC's proposed cuts... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Suppliers Blast OIG For 'Unworkable' Telemarketing Fraud Alert
Feds show lack of understanding in interpretation, industry says. You may have to change ... Read more
Education:
Improve Training By Addressing 3 Key Learning Styles
Make sure your staffers get the most out of their in-service time. With OASIS C just begi... Read more
Industry Notes:
Gas Prices Up, Mileage Rate Down
You may save money on your travel costs, depending on how you reimburse your staff. Your ... Read more
Hospice:
Remember Doc Attestation For New Hospice Narrative
A big chunk of your Medicare hospice payments could be at stake. If you wait for medical ... Read more
Reimbursement:
Beware These Common Hospice Certification Pitfalls
Messed up certs translate to denied claims. The attestation statement for the physician h... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
OIG Finds 60% Of Wheelchair Claims Don't Meet Medicare Requirements
Industry points finger at confusing, overly complex documentation rules. You may think th... Read more
Budget:
Lawmakers Look To Home Care To Fund Reform
High fraud profile makes home care providers' uphill battle tougher. As lawmakers in Wash... Read more
HIPAA:
Shore Up Your HIPAA Compliance Before Enforcement Storm Hits This Year
Tip: You're not off the hook if the breach is your vendor's fault. Using electronic healt... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don't Expect Your PEP Payments Quite Yet
Also, expect longer wait for outpatient therapy claim payments. The January Medicare clai... Read more
Enrollment:
New Regs Hit CHOWs Hard
Broad definition of ownership change could sweep your agency into Medicare's newly enlarg... Read more
Surveys & Certification:
Head Off Billing Deactivation Or Face New Survey
Don't let simple paperwork mistakes bury your ability to claim Medicare reimbursement. A ... Read more
OASIS:
Don't Be Thrown By What 'Flu Season'Means In OASIS C
Delve into CMS's supplemental OASIS C guidance for the answer. Confusing wording could tr... Read more
HIPAA:
Avoid Paper Record Pitfalls In Shoring Up HIPAA Compliance
Watch out: Privacy violation investigations are no longer limited to complaints. You may ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Keep Your Eye On Washington This Month
Tens of billions in home care cuts are working their way through Congress. Home care prov... Read more
Education:
Tackle OASIS C With This Training
Hospice fraud and abuse risks, HHA risk adjustment also addressed in upcoming educationa... Read more
Reader Question:
Make Sure You're Using The Right OASIS
Here's how to tell your staff to start using OASIS C. Question: How do we know when to us... Read more
OASIS:
Take These 7 OASIS C Steps In The Coming Weeks
M1308 could become one of your trickiest OASIS C challenges. Don't make the mistake of th... Read more
Patient Privacy:
Don't Drop Your Guard On Patient Record Privacy
Use these safeguards to keep your record clean. If you've been putting privacy compliance... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
Count These Teaching Services In 2010
Don't overlook this change hidden in the PPS final rule. Get ready to defend your HHA cla... Read more
Industry Notes:
Intermediary Targets High Utilizers In 4 Counties
Attendance at education sessions is 'strongly encouraged,' RHHI says. Home health agencie... Read more
Legislation:
Home Care Cuts Advance In Congress
Senate passes billions in reimbursement cuts. Congress has yet to pass the final word on ... Read more
Reader Question:
Brush Up On Your Latin For OASIS C Success
Note this subtle difference in wording to score OASIS C accurately. Question: When I read... Read more
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