Home Health & Hospice Week
DME Bidding Doesn't Harm Benes, CMS Maintains
Durable medical equipment suppliers may see more competitive bidding in their future. Based on a Government Accountability Office analysis of DME manufacturer competitive bidding, House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Pete Stark (D-Calif.) is urging CMS to consider testing the program. "I requested this report because it's always seemed to me that we could get a better deal by going right to manufacturers, just like the federal government does today when they buy vehicles," Stark says in a release. "This GAO report shows that additional savings may be possible, while still ensuring quality and access to care." CMS would have to consider setting up a separate payment system to reimburse DME suppliers for their services instead of equipment under the system, the GAO notes in its report at www.gao.gov/new.items/d11337r.pdf. Meanwhile, CMS has released "health outcomes results" from the first quarter of DME competitive bidding in nine areas of the country. The outcomes are based on "real-time claims analysis" for groups of beneficiaries potentially affected by bidding, the agency says. The results "show no significant changes in health outcomes for these groups," CMS says.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Prospective Payment System:
HHA Payment Rates Slashed 3% For 2012
Prospective payment system proposed rule holds bad news for home health agencies. Get ready to [...] - Regulations:
Face-To-Face Proposal Could Ease HHAs'Workload
Under new rule, some physicians could report F2F encounters like NPPs. The face-to-face physician encounter [...] - Referrals:
Improve Your Physician Relationships With SBAR Tool
Tip: Establish a rapport with office staff to hasten communication improvement. Home care providers may [...] - Policies & Procedures:
Use These Doc Communication Boosters
Put an end to phone tag. Already using an SBAR tool to plan your communication [...] - Fraud & Abuse:
Chicago-Area HHA Owner Indicted On Fraud
'Lavish life - Industry Note:
Know Your FISS Status Codes To Speed Claims Payment
Don't waste time trying to change claims that are in an 'S' location. Wondering what's [...] - Industry Note:
Get RAP Dates Right
Don't forget to complete the "THROUGH" date "THROUGH" date on your Request for Anticipated Payment [...] - Industry Note:
Note These Changes To Hospice Cost Report Form
The hospice cost report form and instructions have some changes related to inpatient general care [...] - Industry Note:
DME Bidding Doesn't Harm Benes, CMS Maintains
Durable medical equipment suppliers may see more competitive bidding in their future. Based on a [...] - Industry Note:
Why Copays Are Bad
Lawmaker negotiations over the U.S. deficit and government spending cuts continue, with Medicare providers offered [...] - Industry Note:
Medicaid HHA Fraudsters Sentenced To Years In Jail
The crackdown on Medicaid fraud in home care continues. In Winston-Salem, N.C., two Medicaid HHA [...] - Industry Note:
2 IL Health Systems Merge
A new merger in Illinois will create the largest Catholic health system in the state, [...] - Industry Note:
NH Agency Expands
The Homemakers Health Services in Rochester, N.H. is expanding its service area to include parts [...] - Industry Note:
Post-Acute Chain Buys New Mexico Agency
A subsidiary of holding company Skilled Healthcare Group Inc. plans to buy HHA Altura Homecare [...] - HIPAA:
Your Employees' Facebook Posts Can Come Back To Haunt Them -- And You
Don't risk patients' privacy just to blow off steam. The last thing your home care [...]
