Home Health & Hospice Week

Never accept stamped signatures. If your ordering physicians like to sign with just their initials or an illegible scrawl, don't forget to keep a signature log. Medicare orders must contain "a legible handwritten, full signature with credentials, handwritten initials, or electronic signature," regional home health intermediary National Government Services reminds providers in an e-mail message. A signature log must contain "a typed or printed name, credentials, and a sample of the signature and initials," NGS explains. "Stamped signatures are not acceptable," NGS reminds providers. Meanwhile, you can continue your practice of dating the form with a "date received" stamp if the physician fails to date her signature, CMS tells the National Association for Home Care & Hospice in response to a question submitted by NAHC. CMS is looking into the issue and may change instructions in the future, however.