Home Health & Hospice Week

The small window for home health agencies in Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina to jump into another, potentially easier Review Choice Demonstration review option will open soon. But agencies can switch only if they qualify — and only if they hit the stringent deadline.

Ohio will be entering RCD Cycle 6, while Florida and North Carolina will enter Cycle 5, but they will share the same deadline. In all three states, the last cycle ended on Feb. 28 and the next one will start on May 1. RCD contractor Palmetto GBA will post agency results from the most recent cycle by March 31, the Medicare Administrative Contractor says in two new articles on its website.

Don’t miss: HHAs in those states will have from April 1 to April 16 to choose a new review option, if they qualify.

Agencies that gave a full affirmation rate or claim approval rate of 90 percent or greater in the previous cycle, but that don’t choose a new option will be placed in Choice 4: Selective postpayment review of a statistically valid random sample (SVRS) of claims every six months for the remainder of the demonstration, Palmetto explains. Agencies with a full affirmation rate of less than 90 percent in the previous cycle, but that don’t choose a new option will be placed in Choice 2: 100 percent postpayment review, the MAC says.

Details on how to choose options and subsequent requirements are at www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/jmhhh. nsf/DID/Z6AMJFNK5Z for Ohio and www.palmettogba. com/palmetto/jmhhh.nsf/DID/BIY3649BKC for Florida and North Carolina.