Home Health & Hospice Week

HHAs furnishing outpatient therapy should pursue advanced approval when pushing $3,700.CMS has finally revealed details about the manual medical review process for outpatient therapy dollar amounts exceeding $3,700. Background: Last February, the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (H.R. 3630) saved the therapy cap exceptions process by a hair -- but not without a catch. Effective Oct. 1, 2012, after a patient hits $3,700 in exceptions, further therapy payments will be subject to manual medical review.Remember: For home health agencies, the cap applies only to Part B outpatient therapy, not to therapy furnished under a home health plan of care.Prepare For A Time-CrunchExperts predict a massive scramble as rehab providers and their Medicare Administrative Con-tractors have about a month to get up to speed before everything goes live Oct. 1.How it works: The first level to therapy cap exceptions stays the same. When you hit the $1,880 [...]