Home Health & Hospice Week
ALJ Upholds Colorado HHA's Termination
If you don't live up to your correction plan, your Medicare number could be forfeit. If you have any doubts about how long survey appeals can take, look at the case of Boulder, CO-based Professional Home Health Care Inc.
An administrative law judge with the HHS Departmental Appeals Board issued a decision in January 2004 for a survey determination made in May 2001. And the DAB decision wasn't favorable to the home health agency with branches in Denver, Longmont and Greeley.
A March 2001 surveyor found PHHC out of compliance with two conditions of participation and hit the agency with 10 standard-level deficiencies, according to PHHC Inc. v. CMS (Docket No. C-01-752, Decision No. CR1128). And a May 2001 resurvey found the HHA hadn't lived up to its plan of correction.
Surveyors cited a range of problems from late physician orders to not picking up lab results to running an unauthorized branch office. PHHC "was not complying with two conditions of participation," the decision says. "Moreover, I have found that Petitioner's deficiencies could limit its ability to furnish adequate care or adversely affect patient health and safety. Thus, [the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services] was authorized to terminate Petitioner's participation in Medicare as a home health agency."
"The adjustments ... could be phased in over an extended period to allow people time to appropriately adjust their long-range financial plans," CBO suggests.
At a first encounter, the HHA should require two identifiers, the Joint Commission instructs. There-after, one of the identifiers can be facial recognition if the clinician knows the patient. The other can be the correct address.
Gentiva's Medicare revenues increased 28 percent in the quarter, while its commercial insurance, Medicaid and other government revenues declined. Medicare admissions grew 20 percent over the year-ago quarter, the company says.
Amedisys' Medicare admissions were up 22 percent over the previous year's quarter. It has secured up to $25 million in financing from GE Healthcare Financial Services.
Cardiac, diabetic, orthopedic, stroke and wound patients constitute 65 to 70 percent of Amedisys' caseload, reports Investor's Business Daily.
Rotech is upping its ratio of respiratory therapy equipment and services -- respiratory revenues were 86.6 percent of total revenue for the quarter, versus 82.7 percent last year. HME was 12.4 percent of total revenue in the quarter, down from 15.6 percent for the same period last year, the company says.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- OASIS:
Master These CWF Tips To Increase M0175 Accuracy
Do you know your way around ELGA? The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has [...] - Education:
Don't Let 14-Day Window Close On You
$600 per patient at risk to simple counting mistakes. Can you count to 14? You [...] - Fraud & Abuse:
Feds Demonize Wheelchair Advertising In Senate Hearing
OIG paints DME industry with broad fraud brush -- make sure your ads aren't on [...] - Studies & Surveys:
Only 13% Of Wheelchair Claims Valid, OIG Says
Wheelchair suppliers can expect even more scrutiny thanks to harsh reports from the HHS Office [...] - Reimbursement:
Trio Of Pricing Changes Threaten Wheelchair Payments
Prepare for face-to-face requirement. Suppliers have been suffering under Operation Wheeler Dealer for eight months, [...] - Enrollment:
Change Of Address Problems Dog Suppliers
Do Not Forward initiative makes moving a payment nightmare. Medicare needs to work out its [...] - Regulations:
PPS Payment Changes On Their Way
Home health agencies won't see the same old payment rate updates this summer.
The Centers for [...] - Industry Notes:
ALJ Upholds Colorado HHA's Termination
If you don't live up to your correction plan, your Medicare number could be forfeit. [...]
