Home Health & Hospice Week
Hop To HETS If You Haven't Already
Don’t forget: "Provider access to … eligibility systems will be terminated, effective April 7, 2014," HHH Medicare Administrative Contractor CGS says on an update to its website for the systems. That means HIQA, HIQH, ELGA and ELGH screens and HUQA.
"If you currently use CWF queries to obtain Medicare health insurance eligibility information for Medicare fee-for service patients, you should immediately begin transitioning to the Medicare Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Eligibility Transaction System (HETS)," CMS urged in a MLN Matters article updated last summer.
Problem: HETS still isn’t ready for hospice, since it doesn’t include revocation dates. "The HETS 270/271 R2013Q400 release was installed and rolled back twice earlier this month," CMS said in a Dec. 23, 2013 post on its website. "CMS advises HETS 270/271 submitters that work continues to ensure that the next installation of this release is completely successful. CMS will not attempt to re-install the release during the remainder of 2013; CMS will provide additional scheduling information shortly after the beginning of the new year." However, at press time, the agency had not an-nounced any dates of reinstallation.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Compliance:
HHA Moratorium Hits 4 More Metro Areas
What took so long, industry members ask about some of the cities chosen. What happens [...] - Regulations:
Look At HEAT Strike Force Cities For Future Moratoria Clues
CMS won’t stop with six moratorium areas, experts predict. Based on its implementation of home [...] - Know Your Facts:
Stats Draw Feds' Wrath Down On Moratorium Cities
One moratorium area has twice as many agencies per bene. Home health agencies’ own claims [...] - Hospice:
OIG Investigates Hospice Provision In ALF Setting
Prevent ALF-related compliance trouble — before the feds coming knocking. After going after hospice provision [...] - Fraud & Abuse:
Documentation, Background Checks On OIG's Hit List For HHAs This Year
HHAs bilk Medicare of $1 billion, OIG says. The OIG lists no new topics for [...] - Industry Note:
Deadline For Increased Hospice Claims Data Nearly Here
CMS issues a few more details about the expanded requirements. Medicare is offering some clarifications [...] - Industry Note:
Hop To HETS If You Haven't Already
Don’t forget: "Provider access to … eligibility systems will be terminated, effective April 7, 2014," [...] - Industry Note:
Measurable Variables Key To Hospice Documentation
You can avoid medical necessity denials under Comprehensive Error Rate Testing by including comprehensive documentation [...] - Industry Note:
Hospitals Emulate Hospices
Hospitals will be taking a page from hospices’ book, if they heed a new study [...] - Industry Note:
Know Which Patients To Visit First In An Emergency
Home care providers are performing the often unsung work of furnishing care in patients’ homes [...] - Industry Note:
Hospice Co-Owner Charged With GIP Medicare Fraud
How you treat your employees could determine whether the authorities show up at your door. [...] - Industry Note:
Texas HHA Owner, DON Face Fraud Charges
A Texas couple is facing charges of Medicare fraud. Stella Maduka, director of nursing, and [...] - Industry Note:
Chain Makes Big Buy
For-profit chain LHC Group Inc. will purchase Deaconess HomeCare and Elk Valley Health Services for [...] - Industry Note:
Hospital To Shed HHA
Another hospital is making plans to shed its home care business. Pauls Valley General Hospital [...] - Industry Note:
Gentiva Opens Hospice Inpatient Unit In Hospital
Gentiva Health Services Inc. has opened a hospice inpatient unit in Athens Regional Medi-cal Center [...]
