Home Health & Hospice Week
Lawsuit Challenges 'Improvement' Criteria
Aclass action lawsuit on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries could liberalize home care coverage for benes with chronic illnesses. The Center for Medicare Advocacy filed a lawsuit in Vermont federal court against the Health and Human Services Department on Jan. 18. The suit seeks to eliminate any requirement that therapy and rehabilitation must lead to improvement for Medicare coverage purposes. "This has been the main barrier keeping people from getting the care and services they need," CMA's Judith Stein told the press. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services actually has already improved home health therapy regulations contained in the 2011 final prospective payment system rule regarding the improvement requirement, CMA says on its website. But that "clarification" hasn't gone far enough, the group contends. "We need the policies at all levels cleared up," Stein told The Hill newspaper. "It's not resolved sufficiently."
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Prospective Payment System:
MedPAC Wants A Copay In Your Future
Payment commission paints industry with broad fraud brush. If an influential advisory body to Congress [...] - Reimbursement:
Home Care Industry Vows To Fight Copay
Get ready for 'copay wars.' A home health agency copayment wouldn't just be bad for [...] - Diagnosis Coding:
Get Started On Your ICD-10 Transition Before It's Too Late
Providers 'surprised' by how all-encompassing ICD-10 transition is, CMS rep says. With all the new [...] - ICD-10:
Use Diagnosis Crosswalks To Ease ICD-10 Transition
You'll benefit from the new code set, which includes 2011 diagnoses. In its attempt to [...] - Industry Notes:
MedPAC Calls For 1% Increase To Hospice Payments
Medicare hospice spending has increased 300% over seven years. Hospices would see a 1 percent [...] - Industry Notes:
Consult 11 New Face To Face FAQs
The face to face encounter requirement is causing HHAs and hospices massive confusion as they [...] - Industry Notes:
Lawsuit Challenges 'Improvement' Criteria
Aclass action lawsuit on behalf of Medicare beneficiaries could liberalize home care coverage for benes [...] - Industry Notes:
Use These Factors In Fall Assessments
Updated fall risk guidelines from the American Geriatrics Society will apply to your patients. "Environmental [...] - Industry Notes:
Report Your DME Bidding Concerns Here
"No news is bad news" regarding durable medical equipment competitive bidding, says the National Association [...] - Industry Notes:
Intermediary Provides G Code Guidance
Have questions about using the new G codes on your HHA claims? Updated billing resources [...] - Industry Notes:
Home Care Saves Billions, New Study Says
The rise of home care has saved the nation tens of billions of dollars a [...] - Industry Notes:
Payment System Glitch Corrected, RHHI Reports
Your trouble with Reason Code 34919 should soon be over. After the January update to [...] - Industry Notes:
Check OIG Excluded List Or Risk Whopping Penalty
Don't forget to check your employees against the OIG's exclusion list. In November, Long Term [...] - Industry Notes:
Palmetto MAC Transition Requires Claim Change For You
Starting Jan. 24, Palmetto GBA will go from your RHHI to your HHH MAC. Home [...] - Reader Question:
Say Yes To At-Home Outpatient Treatment -- Sometimes
Tip: For Part B therapy, document why you're furnishing it in the home. Question: Can [...]
