Home Health & Hospice Week
ALJ Changes Afoot
Providers who have hoped to see a bit more impartiality from Administrative Law Judges may be underwhelmed with newly announced changes to ALJ appointment procedures. ALJs are part of HHS and preside over agency cases and disputes that involve fraud, eligibility, abuse, and HIPAA. The feds are using new criteria to vet and appoint them. In the past, ALJs were selected by agency officials, but a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last June, related to ALJs at the Securities and Exchange Commission, put into question how ALJs are appointed at the Department of Health and Human Services, an agency release says. The Court ruled that only the President, heads of departments, or court leaders could appoint “officers of the United States.” Now: On Jan. 8, HHS announced how Secretary Alex Azar will now select ALJs in the future. The new selection and appointment process, which is effective immediately, is a merit-based initiative, notes the release. “Under this merit-based process, HHS has established required and desired qualifications for ALJ candidates that meet the needs of the [Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals] OMHA and [Departmental Appeals Board] DAB for their ALJs,” the agency explains. “Career officials with extensive experience in administrative law and HHS programs will make recommendations to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, who will then select and appoint the top candidates.” Azar, however, will have the final say and will not seek advice on candidates or decisions, the HHS release indicates. Sidenote: Despite the challenges this abrupt change brings, HHS intends to stick with its new policies. “These changes will not only allow the department to appoint ALJs more quickly and maintain the critical independence that the American people expect, but will also allow us to ensure HHS ALJs have the knowledge and skills necessary for working at the department from day one,” the release says. Read more at www.hhs.gov/blog/2019/01/08/new-merit-based-process-for-appointing-administrative-law-judges.html.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- OASIS:
Considering Turns Is OK For These GG0170 Items
Another OASIS-D question shows how the IMPACT Act items aren’t a perfect fit for the [...] - Hospice:
Medicare To Test Hospice Inclusion In MA Plans
Changes takes effect in 2 short years. Hospices haven’t had to encounter the headache of [...] - Bundling:
Voluntary Bundling Demos Benefit Providers, While Mandatory Ones Help CMS
Larger HHAs tend to participate in bundled payment tests. Is Medicare going to require you [...] - HIPAA:
Start Off The New Year With Updated HIPAA P&P For Firings
Make sure you don’t face potential violations and fines as time marches on. Perhaps a [...] - Industry Note:
Expect Audits To Get Even Tighter In 2019
When the feds decide you owe the government money, they want it paid back ASAP. [...] - Industry Note:
MedPAC Finalizes Cut Recs
As expected, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission has voted to recommend a 2 percent payment [...] - Industry Note:
Know NOTR Ropes To Avoid Unnecessary Work
Don’t waste time and effort on filing unnecessary hospice Notices of Termination/Revocation when you don’t [...] - Industry Note:
Telehealth Claims Accepted Again By Texas Medicaid
Telehealth providers in Texas can submit valid claims to the state Medicaid program again, thanks [...] - Industry Note:
LA Paper Skewers Hospices
The latest high-profile newspaper article lambasting the hospice industry comes in the form of a [...] - Industry Note:
Private Equity-Owned Chain Makes Private Duty Buy
Private equity firm One Equity Partners, through its portfolio company Simplura Health Group, has acquired [...] - Industry Note:
Hospice Deals Announced
The hospice market continues to expand, show these developments announced this month. In Ohio: United [...] - Industry Note:
OIG Finds Telehealth Billing Problems
Telehealth seems to be gaining ground as a politically popular idea, but it won’t all [...] - Industry Note:
ALJ Changes Afoot
Providers who have hoped to see a bit more impartiality from Administrative Law Judges may [...]
