Home Health & Hospice Week

The attestation statement for the physician hospice narrative is the latest threat to your hospice certification and billing, but it's far from the only one. Be on guard to discover these common cert mistakes that Cahaba GBA sees, so you can catch them before medical reviewers do:

• Predating physician's certification signatures. Certs may be completed up to two weeks before hospice care is elected, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization notes in a cert tips sheet.

Certs must be secured within two days of hospice election, either verbally or written. Hospices may not submit claims until obtaining written certification ;

• Not having both the attending physician and medical director sign the initial certification;

• Not having verbal certifications by both the attending physician and medical director (if applicable);

• No physician(s) signature(s);

• Inability to read or locate a corresponding stamp received date by the physician's signature(s) (if the physician did not date); and

• Not clearly stating the dates/duration the certification period encompasses.