Home Health & Hospice Week

Pay attention to preapproval requests under Medicare's new process.If you're submitting preapproval requests for Part B therapy cap exceptions, you don't want to waste time using last year's form, Medicare Admini-strative Contractor NHIC reminds providers in a re-cent message. "Version 6.0 offers the ability to check off more than one discipline for physical therapy, speech language therapy, or occupational therapy for your preapproval requests," the note says.Remember: For home health agencies, the $3,700 therapy cap applies only to outpatient therapy furnished under Part B. It does not affect therapy furnished under a home health plan of care.Medicare is fully into Phase II of its therapy cap preapproval process. "As of October 17, 2012, providers identified in Phase II may now submit pre-approval requests for dates of service on or after Nov. 1, 2012 for beneficiaries over the $3,700 threshold," NHIC adds. "Please note that Phase I providers should continue to [...]