Home Health & Hospice Week
TAKE THESE 4 PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID CLAIMS PROBLEMS
Take a little-known Medicare transmittal, add ambiguity and some hope of a delayed effective date, and what do you have? A lot of confusion about how to proceed with changes that could affect your claims and compliance record.
"The news about signature requirements has been like the news with NPIs lately; it changes with the weather," says Kim Skehan of the Connecticut Association for Home Care. To play it safe, keep the following tips in mind:
1. Stop accepting physician stamped signatures for all orders and hospice certifications of terminal illness. If the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services comes through with an extension for compliance with the new requirement, you'll be ahead of the game.
2. Stop worrying if you allow electronic signatures for hospice certifications of terminal illness (CTIs). In spite of advice to the contrary earlier this month, CMS told industry representatives Jan. 15 that electronic signatures would be accepted for CTIs.
3. You can also accept faxes of hospice certifications--as long as the physician hand-signed the original. CMS clarified its position on such faxes after the Jan. 9 Open Door Forum.
4. Electronic signatures are also OK on orders and other documentation. CMS' clarification "will permit hospices to obtain either faxed or electronic physician signatures for the certification of terminal illness as well as all other required signatures," [which is] "the same standard that is applied to all other Medicare providers," the National Association for Home Care & Hospice says in a recent bulletin to members.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Prospective Payment System:
PAYMENT PROBLEMS PERSIST UNDER PPS CHANGES
Providers hold their breath as Medicare sorts out claims system glitches.
The cash flow gush providers [...] - Competitive Bidding:
EXPECT ROUND TWO DETAILS THIS SPRING
Seek accreditation now, feds coach.
The starting bell has sounded for the next round of competitive [...] - Reimbursement:
KEEP PHYSICIAN SIGNATURES--AND CLAIMS--ON TRACK
Faxes and electronic signatures are OK (again) for hospice certifications, but stamped signatures for HHA [...] - Documentation:
TAKE THESE 4 PRECAUTIONS TO AVOID CLAIMS PROBLEMS
Review your policies on physician signatures.
Take a little-known Medicare transmittal, add ambiguity and some hope [...] - Budget:
MEDPAC RECOMMENDS HHA RATE FREEZE -- AGAIN
Profit margins will dog industry's legislative efforts in coming months.
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission's latest [...] - Regulations:
DON'T LET HOMEBOUND DEFINITION DRIVE YOU CRAZY
CMS addresses homebound restrictions, hospice COPs in Open Door Forum.
One regional [...] - Industry Notes:
CMS PUSHES SELF-DIRECTED CARE
Medicaid benes would hire and manage their own assistants under proposed rule.
If your business relies [...]
