Home Health & Hospice Week
DON'T LET THESE 2 ESSENTIALS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS
Open Door listeners get NPI reminder. • NPIs. CMS officials reiterated to forum listeners that the agency released an NPI contingency guidance plan on April 2, noting that the plan permits providers to establish contingency plans for complying with the NPI requirement. • New general ABN. Hospice providers and suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics and supplies should look for a final version of Medicare's Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN).
As you scramble to come to terms with new payment realities, don't let these concerns drop off your radar screen.
Medicare's new competitive bidding program dominated the last Home Health, Hospice and DME Open Door Forum, but officials speaking at the April 25 audioconference also noted this news essential to home health agencies and hospice providers:
Clarification: The plan does not extend the May 23 compliance date for obtaining and using NPIs on transactions, but if providers have shown good faith in their steps toward compliance, CMS will waive related penalties (see Eli's HCW, Vol. XVI, No. 14).
Providers not in full compliance with the NPI requirement must have a contingency plan by May 23 when the NPI deadline hits, CMS says.
CMS released NPI guidance dated April 24 online at www.cms.hhs.gov/transmittals/downloads/R1227CP.pdf. A related MLN Matters article is online at www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/MM555.pdf.
CMS proposed changes to the general ABN in a Federal Register notice published Feb. 23. Once CMS reviews and analyzes all comments, the agency will publish a final Federal Register notice for the new ABN form, CMS officials told forum participants. HHAs use a different ABN form.
• P4P. An overview of the pay for performance demonstration slated to begin this October is at www.cms.hhs.gov/DemoProjectsEvalRpts/downloads/HHPP_Presentation.pdf.
Note: The next home health Open Door Forum is May 23. More information is at www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/17_ODF_HHHDME.asp.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Prospective Payment System:
IMPROVE YOUR OASIS ACCURACY OR SUFFER FROM CASE MIX CREEP CUT
PPS revisions will leave you scrambling at year's end -- if the deadline holds.
The 2.75 [...] - Reimbursement:
SUPPLIES RELIEF ON THE HORIZON UNDER PPS REFINEMENTS
CMS wants to pay you more for supplies--but will it be enough?
Those costly wound care [...] - Competitive Bidding:
DIABETIC SUPPLIERS WRANGLE WITH NEW MEDICARE REALITIES
Real test comes in 2009.
Small suppliers of mail-order diabetic supplies say the Medicare cards are [...] - Compliance:
DON'T LET THESE 2 ESSENTIALS FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS
Open Door listeners get NPI reminder.
As you scramble to come to terms with new payment [...] - OASIS:
A NEW PATIENT ASSESSMENT TOOL COULD BE COMING YOUR WAY
Are you ready for another evaluation in addition to OASIS?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid [...] - Industry Notes:
HOSPICE INPATIENT CARE UNDER THE MICROSCOPE
Be prepared to defend your inpatient claims with care intensity documentation.
If you've been billing for [...]
