Home Health & Hospice Week
Don't Count Out Copays
Beneficiaries need an incentive to decline care, GAO says. The perennial money-raising proposal for lawmakers - home health copayments - may not have been raised in the most recent budget actions. But don't expect that to last. The idea is still a popular one for both trim- ming Medicare spending and combatting waste, fraud and abuse, says the Government Account- ability Office in a new report, "Medicare Cost Shar- ing" (GAO-18-100). Cost sharing "affects beneficiaries' utiliza- tion of services," the report maintains. "The lack of a coherent cost-sharing system is a significant con- tributor to overuse and misuse of care. This is par- ticularly true for services such as home health and clinical laboratory services, which currently have no cost-sharing under Medicare FFS and thus do not provide beneficiaries an incentive to decline care of negligible value." The Medicare Payment Advisory Com- mission has been recommending a home health copayment for years for "home health services that were not preceded by hospitalization or post-acute care," the GAO notes. "The current lack of cost- sharing has likely contributed to the significant rise in utilization for these services, which suggests some overuse," the watchdog agency contends. Implementing costsharing isn't a perfect idea, however, the GAO admits. An effective copay- ment could "present a financial barrier for some ben- eficiaries to obtain necessary care," the report allows. The report is at www.gao.gov/assets/690/689329.pdf.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Budget:
Home Health Payment Reform Mandated By Budget Deal
Stay on CMS's case every step of the way. If you thought your biggest priorities [...] - Documentation:
HHAs' Documentation Remains Optional For Audits
While not everything agencies want, at least change is a step in the right direction. [...] - Reimbursement:
New Budget Law Kills 'Super-MedPAC' Board
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle agree. While the Independent Payment Advisory Board created [...] - Legislation:
Home Health Rate Cut Included In Budget Deal
Therapy caps, Medicare Advantage changes also impact home care. The newly enacted requirement for home [...] - Hospice:
Budget Law Contains Win, Losses For Hospices
Good news is accompanied by bad news in the budget deal. One part of the [...] - Budget:
Look To Trump Administration Proposal For Budget Threats
PAC PPS would cut tens of billions. A requirement that home health payment reform be [...] - Industry Notes:
Don't Count Out Copays
Beneficiaries need an incentive to decline care, GAO says. The perennial money-raising proposal for lawmakers - [...] - Industry Note:
Get Up To Speed On 2020 HQRP Requirements Here
Check out new Hospice Quality Report- ing Program resources at www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/Hospice-Quality-Reporting/HQRP-Requirements-and-Best-Practices.html. The Centers for [...] - Industry Note:
HHS Offers Tools For Opioid Addiction Situations
The Department of Health & Human Services is offering a helping hand for providers dealing [...] - Industry Note:
Don't Forget Cap Impact When You're Hit With Takebacks
If you're a hospice provider that's been hit with an overpayment request from a Recovery [...] - Industry Note:
Nevada Nonprofit Hospice Acquires Kindred Location
Nathan Adelson Hospice, the largest non-profit hospice in Nevada, is acquiring Kindred Hospice in Southern [...] - Industry Note:
Hospice Provider Makes In-State Acquisition
Pennsylvania Hospice Holdings has acquired Taylor Hospice in Ridley Park, Pennsyl- vania for undisclosed terms, [...]
