Home Health & Hospice Week

Choices differ for this year versus next year. At least one HHH MAC is ready to accept your hospice cap election. Background: Under the 2012 hospice payment final rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is allowing hospices to choose a hospice cap calculation methodology -- the current "streamlined" methodology that counts beneficiaries all in one year, or the new proportional methodology that prorates benes between years based on days of service. "All providers will be switched to the new methodology for all cap years ending on or after October 31, 2012, with the exception of those who elect to have their cap determinations completed  using the streamlined method," Home Health & Hospice Medicare Administrative Contractor CGS says in a message to providers. 2011 cap year deadline: "Providers that have not challenged the current (streamlined) methodology used for determining the number of beneficiaries will continue to have their caps calculated [...]