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Home Health & Hospice Week

OASIS:
Don’t Get Confused On Which OASIS To Use Around New Year’s
Final OASIS-E is out — at long last. If you, like many home health agencies, are fuzzy ... Read more
ASSESSMENT:
VBP Success Hinges On Good OASIS Practices
Check new revisions in final OASIS version. Home health agencies trying to decide how to ... Read more
REGULATIONS:
Note These Details About New Telehealth Codes
Plus: PIPR reports for VBP, reactivated claims edit, and more addressed in latest forum. ... Read more
HOSPICE:
Medicare Planning For Hospice Special Focus Program In Full Swing
Don't miss: You can give your SFP 2 cents now, while the program is still being formulate... Read more
FRAUD & ABUSE:
OIG Semiannual Report Touches On Home Health Fraud And Abuse
Will egregious fraud cases hurt the entire industry? With serious legislative consequence... Read more
COMPLIANCE:
Hospice Audits Get A Second Viewing
VITAS audit's drastic findings could taint industry. The OIG Semiannual Report to Congre... Read more
INDUSTRY NOTES:
Take A Look At Possible New Quality Measures
Discharges, COVID-19 vaccinations appear as new QM possibilities. It's that time of year... Read more
INDUSTRY NOTES:
PHQ-2 to 9 Cue Cards Now On Offer From Medicare
As you put the finishing touches on your staff training for the new OASIS-E item PHQ-2 to ... Read more
INDUSTRY NOTES:
New Diagnosis Coding Claims Edits To Hit In April
Starting in April, your claims will have to jump a few more hurdles on the diagnosis codin... Read more
INDUSTRY NOTES:
Home Health Nurse Tragically Killed On The Job
A fear of many home health nurses came true for one visiting staffer in Washington state. ... Read more
INDUSTRY NOTES:
OIG Shines Spotlight On ACP Billing
Your referral sources who bill for advance care planning may want to brush up on the requi... Read more
INDUSTRY NOTES:
National Chain Buys Florida Agency
Enhabit Inc. has acquired Southwest Florida Home Care Inc.'s home health agency located in... Read more
Finance:
Handle Your CAAP Repayments Before They Land You On 100% Withhold
Are you wondering why your Medicare payments seem much lower suddenly? CAAP could be the a... Read more
Compliance:
CAAP Payments Pass OIG Review
Payments to bankrupt providers were quickly remedied.> For once, the HHS Office of Inspec... Read more
Hospice:
MAC Leaves Millions In Hospice Cap Overpayments Uncollected, OIG Charges
Report urges NGS to collect more in lookback-year overpayments. You might see tighter cap... Read more
Budget:
Year-End Budget Legislation Could Contain Presents For HH, Hospice — Or Lumps Of Coal
Major hospice cap cut, possible home health relief are in play. The end of most years br... Read more
COVID-19:
Vaccination Mandate For Healthcare Workers Continues To Generate Contention
Plus: Biden administration launches year-end vaccination campaign. Healthcare system impa... Read more
Industry Notes:
Keep Up To Date On VBP Info
Get the latest in an updated manual. With less than a month left to go until the first Va... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medicare Attempts To Put Post-PHE Medical Review Fears To Rest With FAQ
You aren't the only one planning for when the COVID-19 public health emergency ends. The ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Latest Care Compare Hospice Update May Not Change As Much As You Think
Your latest Care Compare hospice data is now up on the website, the Centers for Medicare &... Read more
Industry Notes:
Physician Assistant Convicted In Illinois Home Health Fraud Case
Another person indicted in a massive Illinois home health fraud scheme has been convicted.... Read more
Industry Notes:
HHS Issues Long COVID Report Including Care Recommendations
With more long COVID cases being diagnosed every day, the Department of Health & Human... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don't Make HIPAA Expiration Date Harder Than It Needs To Be
If your patient forms pertaining to the HIPAA say they last for one year from the date sig... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
Waste No Time Accessing PIPR Report Data For VBP
Stay tuned for further details revealed in CMS' Nov. 17 livestream.> Although your home ... Read more
Reimbursement:
Follow These 8 Expert Tips To Leverage New PIPR For VBP Success
Critical: Are you checking your progress too late? With mere weeks to go until the first ... Read more
Labor Law:
DOL Initiative Focused On Caregiving Staff Recovers Tens Of Millions In Back Wages, Damages
Agencies in Texas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Arizona caught up in the latest ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Is Hospice CAHPS Survey On The Cusp Of Change?
Mode experiment results give hospices a clue. Keep an eye on future hospice rules to see ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Check Out New Home Health Grouper, Payment Transmittal
Followup payment items related to the 2023 home health final rule are now out. The update... Read more
Industry Notes:
Physician Affiliation Information Added To Care Compare
Medicare's Care Compare website has some new information on it. “The Centers for Medicar... Read more
Industry Notes:
Learn Details About Hospice VBID Minimum Number of Providers
Want to find out more about how the 2023 VBID Hospice Minimum Number of Providers Public D... Read more
Industry Notes:
Bone Up On HH, Hospice Pay Basics From MedPAC
Need a home health and/or hospice payment primer for new hires, referral sources, and the ... Read more
Industry Notes:
OIG: HH, Hospice Agencies Pose Heightened Financial Risk
There's no rest for the weary in the HHS Office of Inspector General's latest Top Manageme... Read more
Industry Notes:
CERT Breathing Room Granted For Hurricanes
If your agency was impacted by one of the recent hurricanes, you have a little extra time ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Return Overpayments Before You're Asked, MAC Says
Accidental Medicare overpayments to your agency are not just yours to keep. So reminds one... Read more
Industry Notes:
Vax Card Counterfeiter Sentenced
Cases involving the creation of fake COVID vaccination cards continue. A health system em... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
HHAs Finally Get Their Hands On Their VBP Stats Ahead Of Time
Don't miss the real-time Q&A in the Nov. 18 livestream. One of home health agencies' ... Read more
Reimbursement:
VBP Cohort Assignment Still Iffy
PIPRs contain data that won't be used for ‘real' VBP, CMS cautions. Watch out: Home hea... Read more
Regulations:
OASIS-E Lacks Final Approval As Implementation Date Looms
Plus: Mind this critical Nov. 16 deadline or pay the price. Value-Based Purchasing isn't ... Read more
Hospice:
HOPE Data Collection Wraps Up
Another Care Compare refresh is hot on the heels of the last one. Medicare has collecte... Read more
Billing:
Learn These New HH Telehealth G Codes
CMS issued telehealth coding details internally back in July. Remember that final rule th... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
Private Duty, DME, And Infusion Company Adds Medicare HHA
Blockbuster UnitedHealth-LHC Group deal poised to move forward. Expect home health merg... Read more
Finance:
Shutdowns Plague HH, Hospice Providers Nationwide
Two hospice inpatient facilities close their doors. Staffing shortages continue take a to... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Hospice Chaplain Billing Codes Are On Deck
But final usage remains up in the air. Many hospices will be glad to see official recogni... Read more
Industry Notes:
Consolidated Billing List Grows
Add five more codes to the home health bundling list. The Centers for Medicare & Medi... Read more
Industry Notes:
OASIS Data File Available
If you'd like to get your hands on OASIS data from 2021, now's your chance. The Centers... Read more
Industry Notes:
HHS Pledges $13M To Grow Nursing
The HHS Health Resources and Services Administration has awarded $13 million to “bolster... Read more
Industry Notes:
HIPAA Breach Costs HH Co. $425K
Georgia-based Aveanna Healthcare must pay $425,000 after a series of phishing attacks led ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Agency Settles Wage Violations
A Chesapeake, Virginia home health company and its owner are paying high six figures for w... Read more
Patient-Driven Groupings Model:
CMS Shakes Off Most Provider Comments In Final HH Rule — But Does Offer Some Relief
Slim 0.7% pay increase isn't enough, industry reps insist. Apparently, hundreds of home h... Read more
Reimbursement:
5% Wage Index Cap Is Good, But Wholesale Reform Would Be Better
CMS leaves many wage index inequities in place. Home health agencies will see some help ... Read more
Regulations:
Final Rule Brings Changes To FDL, Diagnosis Codes, LUPA Thresholds, Case Mix
LUPA threshold decreases far outweigh increases for next year. While halving the massive ... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
It’s Official: VBP Baseline Year Switches To 2022
You can expect your IPR baseline year data halfway through the first performance year — ... Read more
OASIS:
HHAs Get A Little Breathing Room On All-Payer OASIS
Your plummeting outcomes will be for the greater good, CMS maintains. Home health provide... Read more
Telehealth:
Get Ready For 3 New Telehealth G Codes
Stay tuned for technical details as Jan. 1 implementation date nears. “Why do it the ea... Read more
Hospice:
Don’t Expect Lighter MAC Medical Review Load To Last Forever
One contractor reduces audit scope to provide relief. You may not feel like medical revie... Read more
COVID-19:
Medicare Eases Up On Staff Vaccination Survey Procedures
Dings will be standard-level unless violations are ‘egregious.' The COVID-19 public hea... Read more
Industry Note:
Celebrate Home Health & Hospice Month
Don't overlook free resources. Don't let this month go by without a chance to salute you... Read more
Industry Note:
Care Compare Revamp Is Live
Check out the latest changes to Care Compare's hospice section. “An off-cycle October 2... Read more
Industry Note:
Tap Latest VBP Education
If you missed Medicare's Oct. 11 Home Health Value-Based Purchasing educational session, ... Read more
Industry Note:
Get Clues To Hospice SFP Future
If you're wondering what the hospice Special Focus Program might look like when it's offic... Read more
Industry Note:
HHA Manager Draws 12-Year Prison Stretch While Owner Gets 2.5
Nearly four years after pleading guilty to home health fraud, a Houston home health agency... Read more
OASIS-E:
Assessing Clinicians Must Check These New Items Again
Plus: Where's the finalized OASIS-E form? If you were hoping a thorough intake process wo... Read more
Assessment:
New OASIS Items That Patients Self-Report Irk HHAs
Recording patients' answers when they appear to lack accuracy is confusing. As home healt... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
Quick Start QAPI Tool May Boost Your VBP Preparations
Encore webinar spawns new Q&A set. If the imminent arrival of Value-Based Purchasing ... Read more
COVID-19:
Staffing, Telehealth Feature In OIG Review Of HH COVID Response
Plus: More OIG audits focusing on telehealth are in the offing. Home health agencies aren... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Therapist Whistleblowers To Rake In $1.3 Million In Qui Tam Suit
Oklahoma-based agency and execs settle fraud charges in 2 different suits for a whopping $... Read more
Industry Notes:
DOL Rule On Independent Contractors Takes Aim At Home Care
Trump-era rule is on its way out, proposal shows. Home care workers are a prominent part ... Read more
Industry Notes:
COVID-19 PHE Extended At Least Through January
As expected, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra has extended the COVID-19 ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Supreme Court Won't Review These Hospice, HH Cases
Dismissed whistleblower cases against a hospice and home health agency will not get a hear... Read more
Industry Notes:
Claims For Recerts Hitting This Snag, MAC Reports
Home health agencies should watch out for a newly reported claims system glitch hitting th... Read more
Industry Notes:
Threshold For ALJ Judicial Review Increases In New Year
Like many costs these days, an Administrative Law Judge-related expense will go up next ye... Read more
Industry Notes:
Watch For HHQRP Penalty
Check your iQIES folder to see whether your pay will get docked next year for quality reas... Read more
Industry Notes:
Government Sues CIGNA MA Plans
Home health and hospice providers that lament managed care's invasion of the Medicare mark... Read more
Industry Notes:
Do Double Duty For Demographic Data
Make sure your Medicare provider data is covered as the program undertakes a system transi... Read more
Telehealth:
In Light Of Telehealth’s Pros, Medicare Needs To Act
Easing staffing woes is an important plus. With the benefits of telehealth for home heal... Read more
Reimbursement:
It’s About Damn Time For Telehealth Reimbursement In Home Health
Without direct pay, telehealth data won't be accurate. If Medicare officials think home ... Read more
Billing:
There's No Need For All New Telehealth Codes
Audio-only encounters should still count. If the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid S... Read more
Education:
For 2023 Implementation, Training Needs To Start Yesterday
All new codes require more time. With so many details of telehealth reporting for home h... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
States Continue Crackdown On Medicaid Home Health Fraud
Billing for services while traveling is a common violation. The hunt for Medicaid home h... Read more
Lawsuits:
Class Action Lawsuit Over Aide Provision Filed
New suit shows why CMS should reverse proposal to cut reimbursement in 2023. Home heal... Read more
Industry Notes:
Have You Weighed Frontloading Visits As A VBP Strategy?
Medicare highlights the practice in latest VBP newsletter. With the Expanded Home Health... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Principal Diagnosis Coding Edits To Hit Claims System In April
Get ready for new diagnosis coding-related edits to hit your claims starting in April. Ol... Read more
Industry Notes:
Learn About HH, Hospice Topics Via This MAC's YouTube Videos
Don't let a chance for free education pass you by — especially when it's quick and easy.... Read more
Industry Notes:
Elder Fraud Strike Force Grows
Expect to see more activity from the Justice Department's Transnational Elder Fraud Strike... Read more
Hospice:
MA Hospice Plans Will Nearly Double Counties Covered In New Year
Watch out: Even if a plan doesn't cover your area, your billing and payments could still ... Read more
Reimbursement:
15 Medicare Advantage Plans To Offer Hospice Benefit
Tip: Remember you have to bill both the managed care plan and Medicare for VBID carve-in p... Read more
Audits:
Arm Yourself Against UPIC Reviews With Expert Legal Tips
Home health and hospice reviews are complex, CMS tells OIG. Don't be surprised to see UP... Read more
Compliance:
Know The UPIC Ropes When You’re In An RCD State
Tip: Watch for this UPIC letter. The Review Choice Demonstration will not keep your agenc... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
Hospice Deals Keep Market Warm This Fall
Texas is busy, as usual. Jet Health Inc. has grown its presence in Texas with the purchas... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
Risk Adjustment Tackles TNC Improvement Problem, CMS Claims In New VBP FAQ
Age, caregiver status, cognitive function are just a few of the risk factor components. W... Read more
Industry Notes:
Supreme Court Swats Down COVID Vaccination Mandate Appeal
Precedent may apply in the future, industry leader notes. Don't look for your Medicare CO... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hurricane Ian PHE Extends To S.C.
Florida isn't the only state where home health and hospice agencies can receive regulatory... Read more
Industry Notes:
Share Your Thoughts On A National Provider Directory With Medicare
National Directory of Health Care Providers and Services sounds like a good idea — or a ... Read more
Industry Notes:
California Agencies Must Pay $2.6M For Labor Law Violations
Home care providers continue to face labor law cases. Case No. 1: The U.S. Equal Emp... Read more
Industry Notes:
Illinois HHA-Owner Couple Receives Jail Time, $8.2M In Restitution
Two home health agency owners — one a registered nurse — have been sentenced to prison... Read more
Industry Notes:
Addus Makes Chicago Buy
Hospice companies aren't the only ones involved in acquisitions. Frisco, Texas-based Ad... Read more
Industry Notes:
Health System HH And Hospice Nurses Vote For Union
The home health and hospice nurses at St. Charles Health System in Bend, Oregon have filed... Read more
Oasis:
Hop On The OASIS-E Prep Train ASAP — Before It’s Too Late
Watch out: VBP, holiday time frame will complicate implementation. With about three mont... Read more
Assessment:
Follow These 10 Steps To Ace OASIS-E Implementation
Tip: Make your training sessions fun-size rather than king-size in runup to new assessmen... Read more
Hospice:
OIG Slaps Nonprofit Hospice With $42 Million Overpayment Assessment
Medical reviewer denies claims for patients who died. After a lengthy break, the feds hav... Read more
Industry Notes:
HHAs To Find Out Their VBP Cohort 9 Long Months From Now.
Crucial info will be in forthcoming IPRs.> The start date for the Expanded Home Health... Read more
Industry Notes:
Updated Home Health Cost Report Instructions Include New Provision On Sequestration
A recent Medicare transmittal spells out how to treat sequestration on home health agency ... Read more
Industry Notes:
CDC Eases Universal Masking For Healthcare — But That May Not Mean What You Think It Means
If you base your masking and other COVID prevention procedures on CDC guidance, it's time ... Read more
Industry Notes:
2 Hurricanes Spawn PHE Declarations For Puerto Rico, Florida
The Department of Health and Human Services has declared two hurricane-related public heal... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medicare Releases Premium, Deductible, Copay Amounts For 2023
Part B Medicare premiums for your patients will go down next year, but their Part A deduct... Read more
Industry Notes:
Philly Staffing Company To Pay $9.3M For Misclassifed Workers Including Aides, LPNs, PCAs
A Philadelphia company that furnishes staff including personal care assistants, home healt... Read more
Compliance:
Watch For More OASIS-E Guidance In Coming Weeks, Months
Guidance for 2 OASIS-E items has already changed. The new OASIS-E tool and its guidance i... Read more
Regulations:
Home Health Providers Focus On Big Jan. 1 Changes
Plus: Get a look at your new hospitalization quality measure numbers next month. The cou... Read more
Hospice:
HOPE Tool Poised To Move Forward
Catch new HQRP Forum. Just because the new HOPE assessment tool has been long in the mak... Read more
Reimbursement:
Rural HHAs Will Be Especially Devastated By Proposed HH Cuts
CMS should prepare for home health access to plummet. The proposed home health reimbursem... Read more
Staffing:
Rural HHAs Have Special Workforce Woes, They Tell CMS
Montana agency reports vacancy rate of 40%. The staffing crunch that is hitting the entir... Read more
Budget:
Gas Prices Gouge Rural Providers The Most
More travel time means more difficulty recruiting and retaining staff. Adding to rural pr... Read more
Finance:
HHAs To CMS: Loosen Purse Strings For Rural Agencies
Add-on equivalent, wage index revamp would help. The rural reimbursement add-on may be el... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hit PRF Reporting Deadline In Light Of COVID Relief Fraud Scrutiny
Reminder: The last day to use your funds was June 30. Don't overlook an important finan... Read more
Industry Notes:
Heads Up: Review Choice Demo Agencies Must Set Their Next Review Options — Or Forfeit Their Choice
Home health agencies in Texas and Illinois should mark their calendars for an important Re... Read more
Industry Notes:
5-State Chain Makes Utah HHA Purchase
In Utah, Canyon Home Care & Hospice based in Salt Lake City has acquired Uintah Basin ... Read more
Regulations:
CMS Can — And Should — Do Better On Wage Index
Rule commenters chastise Medicare officials for discriminatory wage index procedures. Med... Read more
Reimbursement:
This Unfair Wage Index Advantage For Hospitals Needs To Go — Pronto
Policy is penalizing HHAs, expert points out. Even before the recent big wage index area ... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
Private Equity-Backed Regional Chain Makes Buy In Southeast
Plus: Hospitals figure in recent market developments. A three-state hospice chain is enla... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
FBI Raids Tennessee Home Care Provider
Plus: One codefendant pleads guilty while another pleads innocent in Boston. Many home he... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
Latest VBP FAQs Lays Groundwork For Switching Base Year To 2022
Plus: Don't miss new VBP educational materials in the rush. Home health agencies are wai... Read more
HIPAA:
Sidestep HIPAA Audit Dangers By Mixing It Up
Outside and inside perspectives are both valuable, expert says. Question: We take HIPAA v... Read more
Industry Notes:
COVID Vax Mandate Develops Along With The Science
One popular religious exemption may no longer be valid. A Wisconsin health system is tell... Read more
Industry Notes:
Explore MR Reopening Option
If you let a medical review records request slip past you, you may have a chance to somewh... Read more
Industry Notes:
Staff Squeeze Slowly Lifts For Some
Not everyone shares the view that the home health staffing situation is the worst it's eve... Read more
Industry Notes:
Telehealth Codes Coming Too Slowly
Medicare needs to get with the program and create procedure codes for hospices to bill tel... Read more
Industry Notes:
Next HQRP Forum Is Sept. 28
You can find out more about the 2023 hospice final rule that takes effect next month and H... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospital Sheds HH Business
Madison Medical Center in Fredericktown, Missouri, is closing down its home health busines... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospice Teams With Nursing School
If you're in need of more hospice staff, you may want to take a page from one Texas provid... Read more
Industry Notes:
Examine Your Telehealth For This
Don't turn a blind eye to health inequities regarding telehealth. New guidance from the fe... Read more
Regulations:
CMS ‘Make Your Voice Heard’ Project Wants Your 2 Cents
Workforce struggles are one focus area. Don't let an opportunity to pitch a reduction in ... Read more
Oasis:
Expanding OASIS To All Patients Is An Awful Idea, HHAs Tell CMS
From regulatory overreach to distortion of outcomes data, the negative consequences are l... Read more
Assessment:
If All-Payer OASIS Is Inevitable, HHAs Want Changes
First and foremost is fair compensation. How determined are Medicare officials to move f... Read more
Reimbursement:
OASIS Burden Looms Large
OASIS-E additions are no walk in the park. Medicare officials do acknowledge that the pr... Read more
Information Security:
Educate Yourself On Zeppelin Ransomware Attacks Before It’s Too Late
Here's why an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Unless you have thousands or ... Read more
Industry Notes:
HH & Hospice Agencies Can Breathe A Little Easier On F2F Face-To-Face Telehealth Rules — For Now
PHE flexibility fact sheets now incorporate accurate end dates. The wheels of Medicare re... Read more
Industry Notes:
New CMS Videos Cover HQRP Basics
Two new introductory videos can help you explain certain Hospice Quality Reporting Program... Read more
Industry Notes:
CVS To Spend $8B On Signify Health
CVS Health has agreed to acquire Signify Health for about $8 billion, the companies say in... Read more
Industry Notes:
Deadline To Investigate PPP Fraud Extended By 5 years
Two new laws give the feds more time to ferret out Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and C... Read more
Industry Notes:
MAC Clarifies COVID-19 Accelerated & Advanced Payments Disputes
If you intend to submit a debt dispute over COVID-19 Accelerated and Advance Payment (CAAP... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don't Forget: Even Temp Employees Need HIPAA Training
Do you use temp or other non-permanent workers? If so, then you need to keep HIPAA in mind... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
VBP Baseline Move Is A Raw Deal, HHAs Tell CMS
Suggestion: If CMS won't keep 2019 as the baseline year, then it should postpone implement... Read more
Education:
Make The Most Of The 4 Months Left Before VBP Implementation
If you missed the latest VBP webinar, it's now available to review. As home health agenci... Read more
Reimbursement:
VBP Has Problems Beyond Date Change
Medicare Advantage will make HHAs' lives difficult in even more ways under the new payment... Read more
Face-To-Face:
F2F Telehealth Will End When PHE Does, CMS Confirms
But that's not quite the whole story. Medicare officials have told providers to begin pla... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
PE-Backed Hospice Chain Makes Midwest Buys
Plus: Non-profit hospice affiliates with non-acute health system in Florida. Troy, Mich... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Novus Hospice Fraudsters Approach A Century Of Prison Time
The longest sentence is more than 13 years, while the most recent is for the hospice's mar... Read more
Industry Notes:
Providers To Give CMS A Piece Of Their Minds About Emergency Prep
Watch for potential EP changes in the future. The COVID-19 public health emergency has do... Read more
Industry Notes:
ACOs Save Medicare Big Bucks Year After Year
Whether you see ACOs as an opportunity or a hindrance — or both — they're likely to be... Read more
Industry Notes:
Tap More Detailed Help For HQRP Report Access
If your staff could use some help downloading Hospice Quality Reporting Program reports, t... Read more
Industry Notes:
Take An Email Break This Weekend
Hold onto that email to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services until after Labor... Read more
Industry Notes:
Managed Care Enrollees Make Up Nearly Half Of Medicare Benes
The number of Medicare enrollees continues to climb. “As of May 2022, 64,553,288 people... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don't Sleep On Clerical Reopenings
Don't waste time on an appeal when you can get a simple reopening instead. But you have to... Read more
Industry Notes:
Consult Newly Updated Guidance On Billing For Hospice Docs, NPPs
The MACs are offering a helping hand when it comes to billing hospice physician, nurse pra... Read more
Reimbursement:
HHAs To Medicare: Don’t Kick Us While We’re Down
Program is drastically underestimating agencies' costs of doing business, rule commenters... Read more
Budget:
List Of Drastically Increased Costs Goes On And On For HHAs
Gas might be the flashiest of cost monsters, but there are plenty of others. Medicare's ... Read more
Regulations:
Will CMS Listen?
HHAs wait on pins and needles for final regulation in a couple of months. Home health age... Read more
Labor Law:
Providers Pay Millions In Wage and Hour Cases
Plus: Hospice stiffed its workers too, DOL says. If you were wondering how hard the feds ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Provider Shells Out $10 Million In COVID Vax Mandate Lawsuit.
Religious exemption denials were at issue. Has exposure to litigation based on your COVID... Read more
Industry Notes:
Official Word: Plan Now For PHE Wrap-Up.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is thinking about the end of the COVID-19... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Ditches CMNs.
If you wish some of Medicare's more annoying and useless requirements would just go away, ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Peruse New HQRP Videos From Medicare
You can access two new videos to get up to speed on certain Hospice Quality Reporting Prog... Read more
Industry Notes:
QRP Exceptions Available To Kentucky Agencies Facing Disaster
Kentucky home health and hospice agencies affected by the severe storms and flooding in th... Read more
Industry Notes:
MFP Expands To 5 New States And Territories
The Biden-Harris administration is pumping more funds into Medicaid's Money Follows the Pe... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Hospice Documents Offer Crucial Info
Check out the latest hospice program info in some new hospice documents. The new hospice ... Read more
Industry Notes:
County Helps Reward Aides With COVID Pay
A new county program is giving home care providers a boost when it comes to recruiting and... Read more
Industry Notes:
Corpus Christi Hospice Forks Over $1M To Settle Qui Tam Charges
A Texas hospice will pay nearly $1 million to settle whistleblower charges that it submitt... Read more
Regulations:
Home Health Industry Rallies Against Massive Cut With Rule Comments, Data, Lobbying
>‘Other industries have piles of money to throw around, but we have the best people with... Read more
Medical Review:
Skilled Nursing Medical Necessity Denials Hit HHAs Where It Hurts
Warning: EMR templates may be your medical review downfall. If you think your agency's c... Read more
Reimbursement:
Consider These 9 Tips To Ace Skilled Nursing Medical Necessity Review
Pointer: Bulk up your observation and assessment support. You may realize that proving ... Read more
Documentation:
Peruse These Medically Necessary Reasons For Home Health
Some of these may need reviewing with your clinicians. Frequent reasons for services may... Read more
Hospice:
Latest MAC Q&A Illuminates Another VBID Hospice Billing Headache
How long will hospices wait for a CWF correction? Watch out: If you serve a patient en... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
Publicly Traded Chain Makes Big Georgia Buy
Pace of HH, hospice M&A remains relatively brisk, legal experts note. LHC Group Inc.... Read more
Industry Notes:
Mark Your Calendar For Free OASIS-E Training
Get working with those SPADEs. With OASIS-E's deadline a little over four months away, i... Read more
Industry Notes:
NQF Gives New Measure Thumbs Up
The new Hospice Visits in the Last Days of Life quality measure now has the NQF's official... Read more
Industry Notes:
Mark Another Notch In Your VBP Training Belt With This Session
There's still time to register for an educational session on newly released Value-Based Pu... Read more
Industry Notes:
Access Newest Preview Reports
It's time to get back into your CASPER folder — your latest hospice Provider Preview Rep... Read more
Industry Notes:
Get Updated Help Desk Info Here
Not sure where to turn with Medicare-related questions? The Centers for Medicare & Med... Read more
Industry Notes:
HOPE Testing Recruitment Ongoing
Your chance to help out with HOPE tool testing asn't passed you by. “Recruitment is ong... Read more
Industry Notes:
Houston HHA Owner Heads To Prison
An owner of multiple Houston home health agencies has drawn a five-year prison sentence fo... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospice Whistleblower Rakes In Portion Of $5.5M Settlement
A hospice whistleblower lawsuit has led to a $5.5 million settlement with an Indianapolis-... Read more
Medical Review:
FTF Tops Latest Denial Reason List
Don't mess up this condition of payment. Smart home health agencies will lower their deni... Read more
Compliance:
Follow 8 Steps To Stave Off FTF-Related Losses
Pop quiz: What's the one scenario that allows different practitioners to complete the fac... Read more
Labor Law:
Back Wage Cases Pile Up This Year, Costing Agencies Tens Of Millions
Carrot: Paying aides legal overtime gives you a competitive advantage, DOL says. The spot... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
Brookdale-HCA Agencies Join Austin Health System
Plus: PE-backed chains make buys. St. David's HealthCare in Austin “has expanded its ne... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Will CMS Collections Get More Aggressive?
Medicare is leaving too much on the table, OIG argues. Just because the HHS Office of Ins... Read more
Industry Notes:
Take A Look At New VBP Reports
Stand by for an August educational session on how to use the IPR and APR. Home Health Exp... Read more
Industry Notes:
Bills To Push Disastrous Cut Next Year Now Introduced In Both Houses
The federal bill that aims to stave off the proposed 7.69 percent behavioral adjustment re... Read more
Industry Notes:
Lawmakers Try To Extend Telehealth Options Through 2024
Keep an eye on legislation that would extend telehealth flexibilities through 2024, regard... Read more
Industry Notes:
Tell CMS What You Really Think About Medicare Advantage Plans
Here's your chance to give Medicare officials an earful about Medicare Advantage plans. Th... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Plans OASIS Vendor Call
OASIS vendors need to mark an important Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sessi... Read more
Industry Notes:
Aug.16 Deadline Looms For These RCD States
Home health agencies in Florida and North Carolina take note: Your selection period for Re... Read more
Industry Notes:
Get Post-Mortem Billing Right
If you fail to report post-mortem hospice visits accurately on your claims, you may miss o... Read more
Reimbursement:
HHAs Mobilize To Ward Off Punishing 4.2% Medicare Pay Cut
New legislation could save agencies from a $1.33 billion cut — for now. Home health age... Read more
Hospice:
Final Rule Ups Hospice Rate Increase To 3.8% — But That’s Still Not Enough
What about high gas prices, the labor shortage, and COVID-related costs? There's always ... Read more
Regulations:
Finalized Wage Index Fix Falls Short
5% cap should be lower, hospice reps maintain. Providers' pleas to expand the protectio... Read more
Surveys & Certification:
Hospice SFP Program Plows Ahead
Stay tuned to next year's rule for details. Medicare's willingness to engage in a Techni... Read more
Quality:
HOPE Tool Proceeds On Testing Front
CAHPS star ratings arrive next month. Medicare continues to work diligently on an assess... Read more
Industry Notes:
Kickbacks Lead To Jail Time for California HH And Hospice Owner
First defendant sentenced in $2 million fraud case. Commit the crime, do the time — 18 ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Guide Patients With MSP Website
If you have patients who are struggling financially, you may be able to steer them to a re... Read more
Industry Notes:
Check Out New Good Faith Estimate Resource For No Surprises Act Help
You have access to a new tool to help you cover your No Surprises Act bases. Recap: The N... Read more
Industry Notes:
Private Equity's Hospice Dealings Under The Public Microscope, Again
Private equity firms' investments in the hospice market are continuing to draw scrutiny, t... Read more
Industry Notes:
Health System Closes HHA, But Entertains Future Reopening
Jennie Stuart Health is the latest health system to close its home health agency's doors. ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Venerable RI Agency Restructures
Visiting Nurse Home & Hospice in Newport, Rhode Island, is undertaking “cost reducti... Read more
Industry Notes:
IRS, State Attorney General Drop The Hammer In 2 Home Care Cases
Medicare fraud isn't the only kind of fraud home care providers can get busted for. Case ... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
Get Serious About VBP With New Resources From Medicare
Heads up: Sample reports are coming soon. It's summertime and the living is not easy fo... Read more
Covid-19:
Prepare For PHE’s End Even As New Renewal Announced
Public Health Emergency now approved through October. With COVID cases on the rise, the... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
VA Nurse, Pharmacist, Paramedic Among Those Charged For COVID Vax Card Fraud
Cards sold for as little as $40 to as much as $250 in schemes. When you're checking empl... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
Home Health, Hospice Shut-Downs Concern Communities
New hospice inpatient facilities open. Local governments continue to get out of the home ... Read more
Oasis:
Disregard OASIS-E Guidance Manual For D0150/D0160, New OASIS FAQs Say
Here's when to use dashes — and when not to. With OASIS-E implementation looming on Jan... Read more
Industry Notes:
Check Your CASPER Folders For Bad Hospice News
Reconsideration request due date is coming up fast. It's that time of year again — ti... Read more
Industry Notes:
New HH PEPPER Reports Are Out
Home health agencies have a new PEPPER benchmarking report to help them judge their perfor... Read more
Industry Notes:
Step Up For These TEPs
If you'd like to give Medicare officials your opinion on the new hospice Special Focus Pro... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Study Pushes Copays, Greater Physician Involvement In HH
If you can't figure out why home health spending fluctuates greatly from place to place, y... Read more
Industry Notes:
Primary HH Dx Should Be 'Addressed' In F2F Visit, MAC Says
When reviewing the referring physician's face-to-face encounter documentation, it would be... Read more
Industry Notes:
Comment On HH Rule By Aug. 16
The home health proposed rule for 2023 is officially open for public comment, the Centers ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospices Face 'Effective' Rate Cut With Modest 2.7% Pay Bump, Reps Say
With the hospice final rule for fiscal year 2023 expected soon, industry representatives a... Read more
Industry Notes:
Learn About The Phish Scale For HIPAA Health
If you want to avoid breaches of protected health information, it's time to learn about ph... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Parade Of Home Health Fraudsters In Latest Fraud Report Includes Multiple Physicians
Pro tip: Calling a payment to a physician a ‘copay' doesn't mean it's not a kickback. ... Read more
Hospice:
Texas Fraud Hogs The Spotlight In OIG-DOJ Fraud Report
The massive Merida Group case gets even more airtime. Hospices get their fair share of sc... Read more
Medicaid:
Scrutiny Of Medicaid Aide Services Rolls On
False timesheets in DC lead to arrest. The feds continue to crack down on fraud in the Me... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
National Chain Officially Spins Off HH, Hospice Business
Plus: Florida hospital teams with VNA, Ohio coalition gains another nonprofit member. It'... Read more
Studies & Surveys:
More HHAs In A Hospital's Area Is Associated With Higher Readmissions
Hospitals should steer patients to SNFs, study suggests. Patients may overwhelmingly pre... Read more
Industry Notes:
Updated OASIS-E Specs Have Arrived
Ask, and ye shall receive. A week after OASIS software vendors were low-key freaking out ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Senior Medicare Patrol Issued Hospice Fraud Alert.
In 2020, the Senior Medicare Patrol fraud-fighting program netted about half its $16.8 mil... Read more
Industry Notes:
Big MA Plan To Start Requiring HH Prior Auth
Home health agencies in Connecticut, Florida, Indiana and Ohio: Heads up that UnitedHealth... Read more
Industry Notes:
Where Will You Fall On HCI Spectrum? Newly Unveiled Stats May Clue You In
You can get into the nitty gritty details of the new Hospice Care Index quality measure in... Read more
Industry Notes:
OIG Returns To Obsession With Hospital Early Discharge To HH Penalty
The HHS Office of Inspector General wants to make sure no full payments for hospital patie... Read more
Industry Notes:
HHA Owner Indicted For Kickbacks
A Texas RN and former home health agency owner is facing charges that she received kickbac... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Report: MCCM Leads To Lower Medicare Spending
Hospice concurrent care makes economic as well as treatment sense, a new report finds. Me... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospices May Want To Keep An Eye On Oncology Payment Model Test
A new Medicare payment model test for cancer patients may not involve hospices directly, b... Read more
Regulations:
HHAs Question CMS About Proposed HH Rule
Plus: Vendors get closer to panicking as they wait for CMS to issue OASIS-E data specs. ... Read more
Hospice:
New Care Compare Measures Once Again On Deck For Hospices
HQRP noncompliance reduction, transfer billing edit also addressed in forum.> Medicare of... Read more
Patient-Driven Groupings Model:
Fight Off Shocking HH Pay Cut With Specific Data, Experts Urge
CMS says it will consider ‘empirical evidence,' according to rule. Medicare dropped a ... Read more
Surveys & Certification:
Take It Slow With Survey Special Focus Program, Hospices Tell CMS
SFP quotas are a bad idea, multiple commenters say. A Special Focus Program targeting ... Read more
Compliance:
HHAs Breathe Sigh Of Relief On NPP Collaboration Issue
Keep an eye on this issue, though.> What looked to be a big regulatory headache for Clini... Read more
Industry Notes:
Make Time For These Upcoming VBP Training Tools
VBP prep is heating up along with summer temps. Keep your eyes peeled for sample Value-Ba... Read more
Industry Notes:
Next Provider Relief Fund Reporting Period Is Now Open
If you received more than $10,000 in HHS Provider Relief Fund (PRF) payments for either th... Read more
Industry Notes:
Nearly 1,500 New ICD-10 Codes On Deck For Fall
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its list of ICD-10 additions, deletions... Read more
Industry Notes:
HOPE Tool Beta Testing Starts New Round This Month
There's still time to pilot the HOPE tool before it becomes mandatory. The Centers for Me... Read more
Industry Notes:
2% Sequestration Now Taking A Bite Out Of Claims
The full 2 percent sequestration amount is hitting your claims as of July 1, HHH Medicare ... Read more
Patient-Driven Groupings Model:
Drastic Proposed Pay Cut Takes HHAs By Surprise
CMS rule a ‘gut punch,' one industry veteran judges. If you think the Centers for Med... Read more
Reimbursement:
Take A Close Look At CMS Justification For -7.69% Behavioral Adjustment
HHAs' pay exceeds costs by 34%, according to feds. If you are shocked that Medicare offic... Read more
Payment:
5% Wage Index Cap, LUPA Threshold Changes Ahead
Plus: CMS pulls back on outliers a tad. The 2023 home health proposed rule contains mor... Read more
Patient-Driven Groupings Model:
Tweaks To Case Mix, Functional Impairment Levels, Comorbidity Subgroups Could Impact Your Reimbursement
A larger diagnosis coding PDGM revamp is afoot. How will recalibration of key PDGM compon... Read more
Oasis:
All-Payer OASIS Is On The Horizon
Medicare wants to see assessment data on all your patients — including those with very s... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
Medicare Wants New VBP Baseline Year To Be 2022
Get ready for your improvement between 2019 and 2022 to get erased. Have you been gearing... Read more
Regulations:
Keep Tabs On These Proposed Rule Provisions
GG items, telehealth, and more round out the newly proposed home health rule. Home health... Read more
Hospice:
VBID Billing Problems Plague Hospices
Operational wrinkles continue to have reimbursement impact on providers. Hospice provider... Read more
Industry Notes:
As Gas Prices Hit Record Highs, IRS Increases Mileage Rate
The question is, what should you do about it? Skyrocketing fuel prices have hit home heal... Read more
Industry Notes:
Mind Your Exception Requests
Be careful when making NOA or NOE exception requests, or you could find your HHH MAC on yo... Read more
Industry Notes:
Survey SOP Changes For Vax Mandate
Medicare is loosening up its oversight of vaccination mandate compliance a smidge. “Sur... Read more
Industry Notes:
Nail Down Hospice Cap Liability
Whether you're on the buying or selling end of a hospice acquisition, you can stave off a ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Check Out New VBP Info
Add two more items to your Value-Based Purchasing educational to do list. No. 1: A new po... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospice-Drug Pilot In The Works
Is miscommunication with Part D plans over hospice coverage is bugging you? If so, you may... Read more
Industry Notes:
Beware Stealth Excluded Staff
If you don't want to pay the feds to the tune of five figures, you'd better check employee... Read more
Industry Notes:
Home Health CPO Claims Lead To Prison Sentence
The former owner of a Chicago physician practice is facing jail time related to bogus Care... Read more
Industry Notes:
ONC Wants Your 2 Cents On Hospice-SNF Interoperability
You may be used to not picking up if you see a caller ID for a supposed government entity,... Read more
Industry Notes:
HCA Florida Agencies Get New Name
HCA Florida Healthcare, an affiliate of health care behemoth HCA Healthcare, has renamed... Read more
Industry Notes:
Tap These Tools To Ward Off Cyberthreats
In today's world of phishing and ransomware spikes in the healthcare industry, there's a w... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Don’t Expect Oversight To Let Up, Federal Report Indicates
Watchdog agency urges tightening up of hospice bundling. If you need a reminder of why yo... Read more
Hospice:
Hospices Ask For More Significant Wage Index Relief
5% cap is too high, they tell CMS. For many years, pleas for help with drastically changi... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
PE-Backed Chain Grows Rapidly
Plus: St. Croix enlarges Illinois presence. While the home health mergers & acquisiti... Read more
Surveys & Certification:
Check Updated Survey Memo For Emergency Preparedness Testing Requirements
Clarifications may keep you out of hot water with surveyors. With the COVID-19 public hea... Read more
HIPAA:
Use These 7 Steps To Make Sure Your Patient Privacy Laws Comply With State Laws, Too
Caution: State regs may be tougher than federal regulations. It's not just HIPAA you have... Read more
Industry Notes:
States Have Another Year To Use Home- And Community-Based Services Funds
Especially during COVID, benes want to stay at home. Medicaid home care providers and the... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medicare Switches Enrollment, CHOW, COI Functions From Regional Offices To Contractors For HHAs
Home health agencies will deal more with Medicare contractors and less with Centers for Me... Read more
Industry Notes:
Add 1 More Step To Your PECOS To-Do List
Navigating through PECOS will take you a little bit longer after Independence Day. “S... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospice Study's Findings On Dementia Patients' Care Surprises UC Researchers
A new study's title shows what hospices have known all along — “Hospice Improves Care ... Read more
Hospice:
Proposed 2.7% Pay Increase Is Severely Inadequate, Hospices Warn CMS
Why are Medicare Advantage Organizations getting 8.5% while hospices will see much less? ... Read more
Reimbursement:
Here’s What’s Driving Up Hospice Costs — And May Soon Drive Hospices Out Of Business Altogether
The list of what isn't causing costs to skyrocket may be shorter. Hospices hope there's... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
Big Companies Move On Home Visit Deals
Plus: Two new developments have July 1 target dates. The world of home care continues to ... Read more
HIPAA:
Look Inward For Threats To Your Cybersecurity
Whether it's an accident or on purpose, you must protect yourself against internal securit... Read more
Industry Notes:
RCD Claims Problems Plague Providers
So much for that 10-day timeline for PCR decisions. Getting claims processed cleanly unde... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medicare Recommends Potentially Lowering Costs For Beneficiaries
For your patients that were shocked by last year's Medicare Part B premium increase, there... Read more
Industry Notes:
MAC's Decision Tree Can Lead You To Correct Fee Application
Not sure whether you need to pay the application fee when enrolling, revalidating, or addi... Read more
Industry Notes:
Ratio Of Original Medicare To MA Benes Is Close To Equal
If you're wondering just how many new Medicare beneficiaries are in your potential patient... Read more
Industry Notes:
States' PEPPER Download Rates Range From 17% to 89%
Are you behind your competitors in checking out your stats in your PEPPER report? Informat... Read more
Industry Notes:
Beware New Claims Glitch
Look at your claims closely to determine whether a newly reported claims glitch is costing... Read more
Industry Notes:
NHPCO Guide Helps Hospices Reach Out To Underserved Community
If you're hoping to work on equity in hospice utilization, a new resource from The Nationa... Read more
Industry Notes:
$87M Fraud Scheme Masterminds Plead Guilty
The big fish in the Moriarty Consultants Medicaid fraud case in Pittsburgh have finally ha... Read more
Industry Notes:
Concealed Crimes Lead To Charges
Medicaid home care agency owner in Florida has been charged with a felony after failing to... Read more
Covid-19 :
Follow These 6 Pointers To Sidestep Vaccination Mandate Trouble At Survey Time
Watch out: Surveyors will be checking for vaccination education. With COVID-19 cases sur... Read more
Medical Review:
Understand CERT As Rising Payment Error Rates Invite More Scrutiny
Both home health and hospice error rates climbed in 2021. The home health payment error ... Read more
Compliance:
Employ Excluded Individuals At Your Own Risk, New OIG Advisory Opinion Says
The labor market may be tight, but is it that tight? For most home health and hospice age... Read more
HIPAA:
Feds Focus On HIPAA Compliance — And Levy Big Fines
Sending political campaign emails and revealing PHI in response to a Google review are a f... Read more
Industry Notes:
Learn About What’s Ahead With VBID Hospice Carve-In
Get the dates straight for claims denials. It may seem like 2022 just got going, but Medi... Read more
Industry Notes:
Care Compare Gets Closer To Normal
Your new hospice numbers are now up on Medicare's Care Compare website — but maybe not a... Read more
Industry Notes:
Home Care Workforce Action Alliance Tackles Staffing Woes
Staff shortages are crippling home care agencies, and now a new organization is taking aim... Read more
Industry Notes:
ZPIC Flaws, ALJ Wait Cited In N.C. HHA's Lawsuit
A new lawsuit from a North Carolina home health agency takes aim at the Medicare appeals b... Read more
Industry Notes:
3-State Chain Grows In North Carolina
Agape Care Group has acquired Hospice of the Carolina Foothills in Forest City, North Caro... Read more
Industry Notes:
Nonprofit Hospice Alliance Secures VBID Contract
Ohio's Hospice and Pure Healthcare is now the preferred hospice and palliative care provid... Read more
Industry Notes:
Venerable VNSNY Becomes VNS Health
The Visiting Nurse Service of New York is saying goodbye to its old name and rebranding as... Read more
Industry Notes:
OCR Asks For HIPAA, HITECH Input
You've got about a week left to give the feds your two cents on two critical provisions co... Read more
Oasis:
OASIS-E One More Step Closer To Implementation
Check out new OASIS-E Guidance Manual. You now have more educational tools for one of the... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
Use These Newly Revealed VBP Stats To Gauge Your Performance
Be aware that what your vendor is telling you might not line up with VBP. While home hea... Read more
Quality:
Heed These 6 Points In New VBP Guide
Value-Based Purchasing rules may alter how acquisitions go down. Medicare is getting to t... Read more
Covid-19 :
Expect Your Next Survey To Focus On Vaccination Mandate
Non-acute providers hit with biggest challenges. It's been months since Medicare's COVID... Read more
Industry Notes:
OIG Adds OASIS Falls Reporting To Its Work Plan
Watchdog agency will check hospital records against OASIS. Get ready to endure scrutiny f... Read more
Industry Notes:
States Can Deduct Union Dues From Paychecks Again, Final Rule Says
The tug of war over whether states can deduct union dues from home care workers' paychecks... Read more
Industry Notes:
Non-Affirmed Claims Stall Under RCD Processing Error
Watch out for the newest glitch delaying RCD claims. “Providers under Review Choice Dem... Read more
Industry Notes:
Next Sequestration Hike Is Just Around The Corner
You've got just over a month left before sequestration ratchets your payment rates down ag... Read more
Industry Notes:
State Outlaws Common Home Care Hiring Clause
If you rely on so-called “no hire” clauses to hold onto staff, a new requirement in on... Read more
Industry Notes:
States Fall Short On Long-Term Care Background Checks
Medicare has shelled out about $70 million to 29 states to facilitate background checks un... Read more
Industry Notes:
To Match Or Not To Match When Name Is Truncated
Don't get stumped on what to do when a patient's full name isn't listed on their Medicare ... Read more
Covid-19:
Hit Your PRF Reporting Deadlines, Or You’ll Have To Repay
Hurry! You have another few days to request late reporting for Period 2. A number of Prov... Read more
Regulations:
What’s Coming For VBP In The 2023 Home Health Rule?
Providers dearly hope for a delay, but that's unlikely, experts agree. There's still t... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
Take A Closer Look At TPS Before Value-Based Purchasing Pay Adjustments Begin
HHAs would like their own data ASAP — but it looks like they won't get it any time soon.... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Missing Physician Documentation Figures In 2 New HH Fraud Cases
Agencies pay millions to settle improper billing charges. Don't write off complaints to t... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don’t Forget To Submit Comments On Hospice Rule By Month’s End
Cap on wage index swings looks likely to be part of HH rule, too. With so many things on ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Circle June 6 On Your Compliance Calendar
Inpatient hospices need to be ready for some COVID-19 blanket waivers to end in a few shor... Read more
Industry Notes:
Take Action Now That NOA Glitch Is Finally Vanquished
It's time to get back your rightful reimbursement following an NOA-related billing glitch.... Read more
Industry Notes:
2-Tier Pay, Long-Stay Scrutiny Impact Alzheimer's Hospice Care, Study Says
Hospice payment changes have reduced access to hospice care for patients with Alzheimer's,... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Messes With NP Order Manual Provisions
Keep an eye on a potential problem regarding NPs and home health orders. On April 27, the... Read more
Industry Notes:
MAC Works Through Erroneous Discharges
Don't let a Review Choice Demonstration glitch throw off your claims. The problem: RCD pr... Read more
Industry Notes:
FCC Program Could Help Your Patients Afford Internet
If you'd like to conduct more telehealth visits but don't have the resources to furnish pa... Read more
Industry Notes:
HH, Sr. Living Companies Form JV
Tutera Senior Living & Health Care and Residential Home Health have formed a joint ven... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
Follow These 10 Steps To Master VBP Before It’s Too Late
Tip: Check out the newest educational video from CMS. There's no time to waste in prepar... Read more
Quality:
Identify Your VBP Areas For Improvement Pronto
Which measures count for what is an important factor. One of the most important decisions... Read more
Reimbursement:
HHAs In VBP Pilot States Don't Get To Relax
They may have squeezed out all the improvement they can already, for one. Is previous exp... Read more
Managed Care:
MA Plans Set To Get 8.5% Pay Increase In Face Of Accusations Of Bogus Care Denials
Costs more and gives benes less, lawmaker letter points out. If you think Medicare Advan... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Houston HHA Owners Rack Up Guilty Plea, Indictment
Patient recruiters feature in fraud cases. Texas has produced two more guilty verdicts re... Read more
Covid-19:
HH, Hospice Owners Feature In Latest COVID Fraud Sweep
COVID-19 relief funds attracted fraudsters in California and Tennessee. The feds are more... Read more
Industry Notes:
Billing Glitch Harasses Home Health Claims
Watch out for recoding to earlier periods. As if regular billing isn't enough to keep hom... Read more
Industry Notes:
CAHPS Scores Went Down Under VBP Pilot, Eval Report Says
Home Health Value-Based Purchasing is far down the tracks toward implementation, but a fif... Read more
Industry Notes:
Home Health Bundling List Grows By 2 Codes
Add two more nonroutine supply codes to the home health consolidated billing list as of Ju... Read more
Industry Notes:
Chain Makes Buy In Montana
The Pennant Group Inc. has acquired the assets of First Choice Home Health in Bozeman, Mon... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
Beware These VBP Challenges As New Payment Model Approaches
‘Many agencies don't even know where to start,' expert says of VBP prep. As Home Heal... Read more
Quality:
Cohort Designations May Make Or Break Your VBP Experience
Small fish in the big cohort pond are at risk of floundering, as are agencies in historica... Read more
Regulations:
Learn Your New Value-Based Purchasing Language
Know your TNC from your TPS, or you may be SOL. You might have your home health-related ... Read more
Compliance:
OIG Gives Stamp Of Approval To Furnishing Free Smartphones For Telehealth — But With Restrictions
When can you hand out a smart device for telehealth, and when can't you? New guidance may... Read more
Billing:
Ignore Surprise Billing Requirements At Your Peril
You have obligations under the sprawling regulation, trade group advises. If you think th... Read more
Industry Notes:
Care Compare Problems Expand
You may want to double-check your Quality of Patient Care Star Rating in light of the late... Read more
Industry Notes:
Here's What's Drawing TPE Review To Hospices' Doorsteps
If you're wondering what's putting a target on hospices' backs, some comments at a recent ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Humana Plans To Sell Stake In Hospice, Personal Care Units For Whopping $2.8 Billion
The home health and hospice landscape continues to shift with major M&A activity. Cas... Read more
Industry Notes:
13-State Hospice Chain Makes Dallas Buy
Bristol Hospice has made another acquisition, this time in Dallas. Salt Lake City-based Br... Read more
Industry Notes:
Nonprofits Plan To Join Forces In Maryland
Hospice of the Chesapeake based in Pasadena, Maryland, is in the process of acquiring nonp... Read more
Industry Notes:
MAC Clarifies What MA Plans Must Cover In Hospice VBID Model
As the Value-Based Insurance Design Model's hospice carve-in rolls on, hospices are gettin... Read more
Regulations:
New OASIS Q&As; Shed Light On Assessment Timing, GG130 Scoring
Plus: If you can't get your ‘Services Provided' data corrected in iQIES, you're not alon... Read more
Quality:
Say ‘Hello’ To HCI, HVLDL Measures In Next Month's Care Compare Refresh
CAHPS star rating on deck for August update. Soon potential patients, referral sources, a... Read more
Value-Based Purchasing:
6 Things Likely To Surprise You About Value-Based Purchasing
Tip: Your non-Medicare data counts too. Unless you're ready to give up 5 percent of your... Read more
Reimbursement:
Check Out Your 12 Quality Measures For Expanded VBP
What exactly goes into those composite measures? While quality of care is always paramoun... Read more
Hospice:
Hospices Open Inpatient Facilities Around The Nation
VITAS operates 28 inpatient units. New hospice facilities continue to appear as need for ... Read more
Industry Notes:
PHE Renewed Again — Maybe For The Last Time?
CMS pulls back certain inpatient hospice waivers. HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra signed a n... Read more
Industry Notes:
Are You Handling Your MA Hospice Payments Under VBID The Right Way When It Comes To Caps?
Medicare's Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model's Hospice Benefit Component is provin... Read more
Industry Notes:
Use KX Modifier For NOAs Carefully, Or Risk MAC's Ire
Notice of Admission claims using modifier KX when they shouldn't are in one MAC's crosshai... Read more
Industry Notes:
OIG To Examine Electronic Visit Verification In Upcoming Report
The HHS Office of Inspector General has put “Electronic Visit Verification System for Me... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medicare Shines Public Light On Ownership, M&A Info
Look to a development for SNFs and hospitals to see what might be coming down the pike for... Read more
Industry Notes:
Beware Excluded Employees Or Pay The Price
Some recent Civil Money Penalty cases underscore why it's important to check employees aga... Read more
COVID-19:
Providers Get Another Shot At PRF Reporting For Period 1 — But Only Until April 22
Warning: Missing this crucial deadline could cost you big. If you're one of the thousand... Read more
Reimbursement:
Which PRF Reporting Exception Do You Qualify For?
There are 6 to choose from. When requesting late reporting for Period 1 of Provider Reli... Read more
Hospice:
CMS Is Formulating Health Equity Quality Measures
Get your 2 cents about the measures in before it's too late. Medicare is taking health eq... Read more
Payment:
Only 2 Wage Index Areas Would Be Affected By 5% Cap In 2023
Check out the wage index winners and losers for 2023. If you're wondering how much a pr... Read more
Medicaid:
Authorities Put The Squeeze On Medicaid Home Care Fraudsters
Medicaid fraud-plus-wage fraud seen in more than one case. State authorities are putting... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
PE-Backed Chain Makes Texas Buy
Plus: Bristol Hospice grows again. Four-state chain Choice Health at Home has kicked off... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Hospice Owner, Administrator See Civil Charges After Convictions
Plus: Appeals court declines to overturn sentences, restitution. The Department of Justi... Read more
Industry Notes:
Sequestration Is Back In Effect — Partway
Reps call for relief. Your Medicare payment rates changed as of April 1, and not for the... Read more
Industry Notes:
$1.75 Billion More Out In PRF Funds
The Health Resources and Services Administration has released another round of Provider Re... Read more
Industry Notes:
U537F Glitch Won't Die
A Home Health Notice of Admission processing glitch continues to plague home health agenci... Read more
Industry Notes:
Check Out New HH Preview Reports
Home health agencies can now access their Preview Reports and Star Rating Preview Reports ... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Boosts MFP Funding
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is putting more than $110 million into Me... Read more
Budget:
More Surveys, Medical Review Included In Biden Administration Budget
Plus: Increased DOL enforcement, more data-gathering for patients, and another year of seq... Read more
Hospice:
Medicare Floats 2.7% Pay Increase For Hospices In 2023
Plus: CMS finally takes action on wage index problems — but is it enough?> After punti... Read more
Surveys & Certification:
Medicare Expects To Propose Hospice Special Focus Program For Surveys In 2024
Hospice providers' reprieve will be relatively brief, proposed rule suggests. One of the... Read more
Quality:
HOPE, CAHPS Survey Mode Experiment Headline Quality Provisions In 2023 Proposed Rule
Plus: New hospice quality measures may be 'hybrid,'using data from assessments and claims ... Read more
Industry Notes:
UnitedHealth To Make Monster Home Health & Hospice Acquisition
Another big insurer to pay big bucks for home health and hospice chain. UnitedHealth Grou... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS To Freeze This HHA Info On Care Compare Due To iQIES Data Glitch
You don't have to worry about messed-up iQIES data skewing your publicly reported informat... Read more
Industry Notes:
Millions More Goes Out In Latest Provider Relief Funding Round
The Department of Health and Human Services is distributing a fourth round of Provider Rel... Read more
Industry Notes:
Study: Rehab At Home Saves Money, Improves Outcomes Compared To SNFs
Giving patients rehab at home instead of in nursing homes is not only preferred by many pa... Read more
Industry Notes:
Heed These Tips To Safeguard Your IT Against Pandemic Pitfalls
You should make sure your emergency preparedness extends to your health IT domain. And now... Read more
Budget:
MedPAC Recommends A Sledgehammer For A Scalpel Job, Reps Protest
Why use a blunt instrument that restricts access for certain types of patients? If you th... Read more
Know Your Facts:
Hospice Stats Trend Up In Pandemic
MedPAC highlights an average live discharge rate of 43% for 10% of hospices. MedPAC lines... Read more
Finance:
Sequestration, Medicare Advantage Concerns Top Publicly Traded Companies’ Worry Lists For 2022
MA plans must ‘wake up to the fact that they can't continue to pay these kinds of rates,... Read more
Hospice:
Lower ADC Plagues Hospice Providers
Later referrals, lower nursing home business affect utilization. Among the COVID impacts ... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Owner Of Shuttered Hospice Pleads Guilty To COVID Aid Fraud
Case is just one of many in an alleged $8 billion pandemic fraud spree, according to DOJ.... Read more
Industry Notes:
Stiff Payment Penalty Coming To 2 Review Choice Demo States On April 1
Make sure you have your UTN on your claims under Choice 1. Home health agencies in Nort... Read more
Industry Notes:
Scour Your Preview Report For Data Error, CMS Instructs
Don't take your latest preview reports at face value. The Centers for Medicare & Medi... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Legislation Aims To Secure Hospital-At-Home Waiver Extension
The latest omnibus budget legislation extended Public Health Emergency waivers for telehea... Read more
Industry Notes:
18-State Chain Acquires New Locations
College Station, Texas-based Traditions Health has acquired five hospice locations and one... Read more
Industry Notes:
HHA Informs Patients Of HIPAA Breach
Don't assume you needn't worry about hackers because you're not a big organization. That'... Read more
Budget:
Cut Home Health, Hospice Pay Rates, MedPAC Urges Congress
Report ignores home health access problems discussed in MedPAC meetings.> The Medicar... Read more
Finance:
Care In The Home Poised To Skyrocket, Publicly Traded Companies Predict
Law- and policy-makers appear to be on board. Home health and hospice providers have fa... Read more
Know Your Facts:
HHAs, Users, And Spending Are All Down Again. So Why Is MedPAC Recommending A Cut?
A profit margin that climbed 4 percentage points haunts the industry. Decision-makers wil... Read more
Recruitment & Retention:
Consider These 9 Ideas For Bolstering Your Recruiting And Retention
Labor woes limit growth potential. Staffing shortages are hitting everyone hard, from ... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Hospice Fraud Cases Bring Negative Attention To Industry — Again
California crackdown may herald a similar movement across the nation. The hospice industr... Read more
Enforcement:
HH Owner/Biller In Pakistan Draws 12 Years In Prison
Plus: Hospice referral kickbacks in Florida and falsified DNR in Texas feature in fraud ca... Read more
Industry Notes:
Sequestration Cuts Still Loom Large After Enactment Of Budget Bill
Telehealth PHE waivers extended. Newly enacted legislation has funded the federal gover... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don't Miss This Imminent PRF Reporting Deadline
If you received Provider Relief Fund monies from July 1, 2020 to Dec. 31, 2020, you must r... Read more
Industry Notes:
Quality Measures Based On Complaints Under Discussion By TEP
You can now get an inside look at what the Hospice Quality Reporting Program Technical Exp... Read more
Industry Notes:
Two Regional Chains Open New Hospice Locations
Two hospice chains have opened brand new locations. Birmingham, Alabama-based Affinity Ho... Read more
Industry Notes:
Encompass Sale Of Enhabit Reportedly Attracts Suitors
The sale, rather than just spin-off, of Encompass Health Corp.'s home health and hospice b... Read more
Budget:
Soaring Gas Prices Squeeze Home Health, Hospice Workers
Prices at the pump set shocking new records. Increased gas prices are a headache for ne... Read more
Labor:
Nurse, Aide Shortage Garners Attention — But Few Solutions
More areas may be without service than you realize. Home health and hospice agencies have... Read more
Finance:
Second Year Of COVID Disruption Makes Waves, But Doesn’t Sink Publicly Traded Chains
Everybody recorded a profit in 2021. If you feel like you've barely kept your head abov... Read more
Recruitment & Retention:
Staffing Shortage Puts Squeeze On Big Guys Too
Labor shortage will resolve as COVID recedes, execs predict. For small and medium home h... Read more
Industry Notes:
Double-Check Your FLSA Compliance With DOJ Education
Three years saw nearly $23 million in FLSA recoveries in one region alone. The feds don't... Read more
Industry Notes:
Newly Confirmed Inspector General May Look Familiar
Christi Grimm has been sworn in as the Inspector General, after some twists and turns. ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Sign Up For Forthcoming VBID Hospice Webinar From Medicare Before It's Too Late
Don't worry if you've missed one webinar from Medicare about the Medicare Advantage Value-... Read more
Industry Notes:
Home Health Company To Fork Over 6 Figures After Self-Disclosing Excluded Employee
Another reminder to check your employees against the HHS Office of Inspector General's exc... Read more
Industry Notes:
New York-Based In-Home Care Provider Launches PACE Center Near Nation's Capital
New York-based ConcertoCare has opened a new PACE Center in Alexandria, Virginia. The P... Read more
Industry Notes:
Steer Clear Of Unnecessary Data To Stay In Good HIPAA Standing
If you're confused by the HIPAA Simplification rules and how they apply to electronic heal... Read more
Reimbursement:
Be Prepared To Resubmit NOAs After Latest Glitch Addressed
Plus: Be aware that 2021 date rules don't apply to 2022 claims. The implementation of th... Read more
Quality:
Surprising OASIS Scoring Change Is Correct, CMS Confirms
Plus: Difficulty accessing star rating preview reports riles HHAs. The 192-page home heal... Read more
Oasis:
Start Prepping ASAP For OASIS-E
Setting the training schedule won't be business as usual this time. You might think you h... Read more
Hospice:
Get Ready For Your HCI, Visits In Last Days Numbers To Go Public
Plus: Beware 4% pay cut affected by the quality data your agency is submitting right now. ... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
NY VNA Joins Local Health System
Plus: Will Encompass Health's HH and hospice spin-off become a sale instead? The 140-year... Read more
Industry Notes:
Sequestration Cuts Threaten Providers’ Pay Next Month
Reprieve from 2% cut ends March 31. It's no joke that Medicare providers will have to ope... Read more
Industry Notes:
Providers Don't Appreciate Short Notice For Home Health,Hospice & DME Open Door Forums
The content of Medicare's Feb. 24 Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum wasn't th... Read more
Industry Notes:
Stay On Top Of Cost Report Filing To Avoid Penalty
Don't leave your cost report preparation until the last minute this year, because you may ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Agencies In Some Model States Receive VBP Adjustments By Accident
Medicare may have made clear in the home health final rule for 2022 that Value-Based Payme... Read more
Industry Notes:
Whistleblowers Filed 11 New Cases A Week In 2021
It's not your imagination if you're feeling the heat of federal scrutiny. Last year the fe... Read more
Oasis:
Get A Closer Look At Heavy OASIS Burden To Hit HHAs Next January
Expect the holiday crunch to crank up to ‘11' this year, with OASIS-E and VBP debuting s... Read more
Assessment:
Here’s What 143 New OASIS Data Elements Looks Like
SPADE, Transfer of Health items set to debut. Check out the list of items slated to be a... Read more
Compliance:
New OIG Advisory Opinion Could Help Chip Away At Aide Shortage
Watchdog agency gives green light to paying patients' family members to become aides. Th... Read more
Hospice:
OIG Upbraids Hospices For Claims Submitted By Nonhospice Providers, Plans Audits
CMS urged to consider hospice pay restructure. The feds' focus on hospice bundling contin... Read more
Industry Notes:
New Hospice Claims Edit Targets Gap Billing
You may need to rethink your definition of ‘transfer.' Official transfers of hospice pa... Read more
Industry Notes:
Texas, Indiana Home Care Providers Rack Up Hundreds Of Thousands In Back Pay, Damages For Overtime Violations
The crackdown on overtime pay violations continues. Case #1: The U.S. Department of Labor... Read more
Industry Notes:
Sidestep These Increasingly Common NOA, RAP Late Filing Mistakes To Save Your Reimbursement
Don't delay your NOA or RAP any further than necessary. That's the mistake a number of ho... Read more
Industry Notes:
Don't Overlook This Important HIPAA Deadline That's Almost Upon You
If your agency experienced a small HIPAA breach last year, the clock is counting down on a... Read more
Industry Notes:
State's New Fraud Strike Force Emphasizes Data Mining, Whistleblowers In Cracking Down On Health Care Fraud
Health care fraudsters in West Virginia have another investigative body on their tail now.... Read more
Oasis:
Check Out Newly Updated OASIS-E Draft Instrument
Refreshed tool fails to jettison some unnecessary items, trade group says. A reminder tha... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
4 Florida Nonprofit Hospices Join Forces
Plus: National chain buys 3-state operator. Another group of nonprofits have decided to f... Read more
HIPAA:
Get Back To HIPAA Basics Or Risk Costly Violations
If you don't train staff on your HIPAA practices, it's like you don't have them. Home hea... Read more
Compliance:
Don’t Miss These PHI Items
Do you have license plate numbers on your list? You may have a limited idea of what const... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
HHA Owner Nailed For COVID Fraud
OIG targets PRF violations. Along with the rise in the amount of COVID relief funds comes... Read more
Industry Notes:
Comply With Staff Vaccination Mandate, CMS Head Tells Providers In New Letter
Reduced sick time can counteract staff who quit, Brooks-LaSure expects. If you are harbor... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Rescinds Focused infection Control Surveys
Home health and hospice agencies can say goodbye to focused infection control (FIC) survey... Read more
Industry Notes:
Study Uncovers Inequities In High-Quality HHA Usage
It's not just access to home health services that can affect patients' outcomes — it's a... Read more
Industry Notes:
Feb. 28 Stands As Next Cost Report Deadline
Don't expect an extension on your Sept. 30-fiscal-year-end cost report. Why? The last ann... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Educates On New QM Reports
Not sure what's changed about the Hospice Quality Reporting Program's Quality Measure repo... Read more
Industry Notes:
Less Than Half Download PEPPERs
Don't miss out on seeing the stats that could be pointing you out for scrutiny from author... Read more
Industry Notes:
Vendor Mistake? You're On The Hook
A question-and-answer from a recent Ask The Contractor teleconference (ACT) shows why it's... Read more
Industry Notes:
PT Fights HH CON Law
A challenge to one state's Certificate of Need law has cleared its first legal hurdle. Fe... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospice Owner Ordered To Pay $10K
A Georgia hospice owner has been sentenced to five years probation and ordered to pay more... Read more
Covid-19:
Texas Agencies Now Have Their Vax Mandate Deadline Too
3 different deadlines for 3 different areas of the country sow confusion. The other shoe ... Read more
Reimbursement:
NOA Implementation Hits Even More Bumps
U537F glitch is the latest problem hindering NOA processing. The implementation of Home H... Read more
Program Integrity:
PI Manual Addition Raises Specter Of NOA Fraud
Lack of specifics proves confusing. Another Home Health Notice of Admission development i... Read more
Labor Law:
Agencies Pay Millions In Wage And Hour Settlements For Aides
Watch out: Bonuses may put you in an overtime danger zone. You'd better dot your i's and... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospice Fraudster Draws Major Prison Time
Cooperative CEO gets same sentence as hostile physician. More proof that hospice fraud ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medicare Offers VBP Learning Session
The Jan. 1, 2023 start date for the nationwide Home Health Value-Based Purchasing payment ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Combat 5CNER Denials With This NOE Know-How
Hospice Notice of Election delays can be costly. If you're not sure why you're seeing NOEs... Read more
Industry Notes:
Let NOAs Process Before Submitting RCD Pre-Claim Requests, MAC Advises
Home health agencies in Review Choice Demon­stration states may be eager to submit their ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Know Which Care Compare Numbers Are Updated — And Which Aren't
Care Compare has begun displaying updated data again, after a long COVID pause. But if you... Read more
Industry Notes:
Learn The ABCs Of CTIs
Hospice eligibility based on terminal illness is a hot button topic for agencies ranging f... Read more
Industry Notes:
Self-Reported Hospice Cap Due Soon
Hospice cap reductions may be in the public eye thanks to an upcoming Medicare Payment Adv... Read more
Industry Notes:
Extend Telehealth Waivers Until 2024, Reps Urge Congress
Extending COVID Public Health Emergency telehealth waivers until December 2024 is necessar... Read more
Industry Notes:
More Phase 4 PRF Payments Possible
The Health Resources and Services Administration has continued its significant Provider Re... Read more
COVID-19:
Medicare Vax Mandate Now Has Deadline In 49 States
Don't expect Texas holdout to last long, according to legal expert. The U.S. Supreme Cour... Read more
Lawsuits:
What To Expect From Upcoming Vaccination Mandate Legal Action
Waiting to see what happens in court is a losing strategy. There are certainly more lega... Read more
Labor Law:
Keep Up With Your OSHA ETS Requirements
Vax-or-test is gone, but some responsibilities remain. If you fail to comply with requir... Read more
Notices Of Admission:
NOA Forecast Is Far From Sunny
Zip code glitch still waiting on fix. Winter weather isn't the only sloppy thing going o... Read more
Access:
CMS Issues Nursing Home Visitation Guidance
Could new guidance affect access to patients? As Omicron surges, worries about access ar... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
OIG Shines Spotlight On Hospice Eligibility
New Work Plan item bodes ill for hospices. Hospices should get ready to defend their i... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
For-Profit Chain Buys 85-Year Old Chicago Nonprofit Hospice
Private equity-backed deals continue across the country. While predictions that the hosp... Read more
Industry Notes:
MedPAC Finalizes Home Health, Hospice Cut Recommendations
March report to Congress will contain latest guidance. It may be no surprise, but it's s... Read more
Industry Notes:
PRF Reports Due March 31
The next round of Provider Relief Fund reporting has arrived. “Healthcare providers who ... Read more
Industry Notes:
COVID PHE Exceeds 2 Years
The COVID-19 Public Health Emergency has been renewed for an eighth time. Health and Huma... Read more
Industry Notes:
Employers Urged To Implement Vax Mandate Voluntarily
While the OSHA vaccination mandate rule seems to have failed, calls for voluntary complian... Read more
Industry Notes:
OSHA Penalties Increase For 2022
Now is not a good time to be racking up OSHA penalties. The Occupational Safety and Health... Read more
COVID-19:
Vaccination Mandates In Effect As Providers Wait On SCOTUS Ruling
HH, hospice agencies in dire need of definitive guidance, reps stress. UPDATE: On Jan. 1... Read more
Compliance:
Follow These 13 Tips To Ace Vax Mandate Exemption Requirements
Requests must include specific vaccine and contraindication info from physicians, CMS ins... Read more
Resources:
Get Your Vaccination Details Here
The clock is ticking. UPDATE: On Jan. 13, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Centers for ... Read more
Surveys & Certification:
What To Expect From Surveyors On Exemption Review
Surveyors should be examining process, not content, guidance indicates. UPDATE: On Jan. 1... Read more
Notices Of Admission:
Buckle Up For More Notice of Admission Errors
Plus: MAC explains how to deal with patients who switched out of MA plans without agencie... Read more
Industry Notes:
Hospices Should Be Double-Billing For Medicare Carve-In Patients
Duplicate notices and claims hold even for out-of-area plans. As if hospices don't have ... Read more
Industry Notes:
The Coast Is Clear To Resubmit Incorrectly Returned 31755 Claims, MAC Advises
Don't miss your chance to get your rightful reimbursement on incorrectly returned claims. ... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medicare's HOPE Tool Contractor Is Recruiting For Another Round Of Beta Testing
If you missed out on your chance last summer to sign up to test drive the Hospice Outcomes... Read more
Industry Notes:
Staffing Shortage Contributes To Nonprofit HHA's Closure In Ohio
Not-for-profit GentleBrook Home Health Services in Coshocton, Ohio, will shut down March 3... Read more
Industry Notes:
Now Is A Good Time To Review EEOC's Definition Of Retaliation
Employers can terminate employees for nondiscriminatory reasons, but if terminating an emp... Read more
Notices of Admission:
NOA Implementation Problems Plague HHAs
Submission snafus snarl agencies' notices — and eventual reimbursement. You'd better ... Read more
Reimbursement:
Consider These 7 Steps To Sidestep NOA Pitfalls
Don't forget: Valid HIPPS code, diagnoses not required. It will take time and effort to m... Read more
Budget:
Home Health Access Problems Finally Get Some High-Level Recognition
Number of HHAs has dropped 10 percent in 7 years. While MedPAC is headed toward recommend... Read more
Know Your Facts:
Home Health Spending Declines Again — And By More This Time
But profit margin is up — significantly. Law and policy-makers will be basing their rei... Read more
Industry Notes:
All Eyes On U.S. Supreme Court Vaccination Mandate Hearing
Will you or won't you have to comply? While many home health and hospice agencies are scr... Read more
Industry Notes:
Check Out CDC's Latest Recommendations For Quarantining, Managing Staff Shortages, And More
Don't get so distracted by CMS and OSHA COVID-19 rules that you miss newly updated guidanc... Read more
Industry Notes:
Updated HQRP Tip Sheets May Help Keep You Compliant — And Paid
Make sure you're keeping up with the latest Hospice Quality Reporting Program requirements... Read more
Industry Notes:
With 2022 Now Here, Review PDGM Update Basics
If you'd like to see the HHH MACs' official marching orders from Medicare for the provisio... Read more
Industry Notes:
Quality Reporting Expansion On CMS' To-Do List
Medicare has big plans for its Hospice Quality Reporting Program — and it's building its... Read more
Industry Notes:
Chicago-Area Kickbacks-For-Referrals Scheme Focus Of Settlement
An Illinois home health agency and its owner have paid $112,000 to settle kickback charges... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medicaid Agency Overbiller To Shut Down
An Ohio home care provider is forking over a half million dollars and closing its doors to... Read more
Industry Notes:
Pro Tip: Don't Google Your Criminal Plans
With vaccination mandates looking to be on the brink of enforcement, don't forget tha... Read more
COVID-19:
CMS, OSHA Vaccination Mandates Get New Due Dates
Get in gear to secure 100% full vaccination by Feb. 28. Two of three federal mandates fo... Read more
Regulations:
Medicare Vaccination Rule Comes First
State laws don't affect CMS rule, agency maintains. If you're confused about which vaccin... Read more
Compliance:
Take These 5 Steps For Vaccination Mandate Compliance Now, Attorneys Urge
Formulate a plan immediately. Not sure what to do while you await the outcome of the le... Read more
Hospice:
Celebrate The New Year By Pulling Your Data For Cap Reporting
Time both data collection and report filing to be as beneficial as they can. Between the... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
HH Fraudster Sentenced To 80 Years Extradited From Cameroon
FBI will track fraudsters down, agent vows. The long arm of the law is now foiling Medic... Read more
Industry Notes:
Check With Your Managed Care Payors For NOA Billing Instructions
And make sure you're set for artificial dates. Come Jan. 1, it's time to say good-bye to... Read more
Industry Notes:
Advisory Opinion OKs Latest Proposal
you think paying an online platform to list your agency wouldn't pass the OIG's sniff test... Read more
Industry Notes:
VBID Carve-In Info Affecting Your Hospice Should Be In The Mail
Hospices confused about the Value-Based Insurance Design hospice carve-in for certain Medi... Read more
Industry Notes:
Medical Expert Opinions Don't Prove Falsity, Latest Qui Tam Decision Says
A New Jersey hospice has beaten a whistleblower lawsuit for a second time. Recap: In 2018... Read more
Industry Notes:
Private Equity Hospice Focus Under The Media Microscope
The proliferation of private equity-based hospice chains is getting the mainstream media t... Read more
Industry Notes:
2022 HH Rates Are Official
HHH MACs have their official marching orders from Medicare for the provisions finalized in... Read more
Industry Notes:
Prioritize Producing Requested Patient Records
Do you think you'll get a pass on producing requested patient records timely due to COVID?... Read more
Industry Notes:
CMS Tackles Inequities With Digital Start-Up Funding
The feds are taking new steps regarding health equity and access to quality healthcare. O... Read more
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