Fraud & Abuse:
OIG Targets These Home Care Hot Spots For Scrutiny In 2011
Published on Wed Sep 08, 2010
HHAs' profit margins, HHRG coding accuracy, and OASIS data will be some of the critical issues the federal watchdog addresses in 2011. The data you've been putting into your cost reports could make or break home health agency payment rates, thanks to one of six new reports the HHS Office of Inspector General plans about home health agencies next year. "We will review cost report data to analyze HHA profitability trends under the home health PPS to determine whether the payment methodology should be adjusted," the OIG says in its newly released 2011 Work Plan. "Since the PPS was implemented in October 2000, HHA expenditures have significantly increased." The watchdog agency plans to focus special attention on profit margins by provider type. "We will examine ... the overall profitability trends for freestanding and hospital-based HHAs," the OIG says. The OIG plans five more HHA reports for 2011 on these topics: [...]