Home Health & Hospice Week

What are the top 10 regulatory issues for home care and hospice in 2013? NAHC has drawn up its list in the Regulatory Blueprint for Action, which is the Association’s top regulatory issues and action plan for the year.

NAHC gathered and tabulated its "top-10" list from communications with its members, as well as analysis of current industry trends and government actions. Expect NAHC to focus its regulatory efforts on the following issues:

1. Ensure the role of home health in improved and integrated care delivery models;

2. Establish fair and appropriate standards for rebasing of Medicare home health rates;

3. Ensure that home health and hospice are included as required health benefits in health plans;

4. Establish reasonable policies and implementation procedures for the physician face-to-face encounter required for Medicare and Medicaid home health certification;

5. Establish reasonable therapy service requirements;

6. Ensure access to Medicaid home care services;

7. Ensure home care services under managed care;

8. Ensure claims review decisions at all levels of appeal that are consistent and in compliance with Medicare coverage requirements;

9. Ensure fairness in government fraud and abuse activities; and

10. Prohibit CMS overpayment recoupment prior to QIC decisions.

You can view the entire 2013 Regulatory Blueprint for Action, go to www.nahc.org/regulatory/2013_Reg_Blueprint.pdf.