Home Health & Hospice Week

Don't rush to cut a check if other providers bill you for recouped items and services. Even though recently approved RAC audit issues don't target hospice claims directly, they could have a direct impact on your bottom line if you get sloppy with your documentation and otherprocesses. Region D Recovery Audit Contractor HealthDataInsights recently received Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approval for two audit issues related to hospice -- "DME While in Hospice" and "Hospice Related Services -- B" (see Eli's HCW, Vol. XIX, No. 9, p. 66). The reviews will look for equipment and services that should have been bundled into a patient's hospice payment, but received separate payment from Medicare. This could cause durable medical equipment suppliers, hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, and others to come knocking on hospice doors for payment for claims dating as far back as Oct. 1, 2007. The good news: Because HDI is auditing the [...]