With HHH Medicare Administrative Contractor Palmetto GBA setting RAPs to pay nothing if you have too many auto-cancels, smart agencies will take preventive action. The National Association for Home Care & Hospice "recommends that home health agencies monitor their outstanding [Request for Anticipated Payment]," the trade group says in its member newsletter. "If they believe they will be unable to submit the final claim before the 120 days, they should cancel those RAPs before they are auto-cancelled."
Palmetto won’t pay RAPs for agencies that had 100 or more auto-cancels in the first quarter (see Eli’s HCW, Vol. XXII, No. 15). The MAC is considering adjustments — including for agency size — to its threshold for suppressing RAP payments based on auto-cancels, NAHC reports.