Eli's Hospice Insider

• You'll need to get used to a new look when you're searching for hospice benefit periods. "The Common Working File (CWF) has changed the ELGA/ELGH screens that display the hospice benefit period information," regional home health intermediary Cahaba GBA says on its Web site.

Under the change that took effect Jan. 4, "ELGA/ELGH displays any applicable hospice periods that have a termination date that is six months prior to the date entered in the 'APP DATE' field," Cahaba explains. "If no date is entered, the ELGA/ELGH displays hospice periods that have a termination date that is six months prior to the current date."

What that means for you: You'll have to enter a future date, within six months, when looking for current hospice benefit period information, Cahaba instructs.

For search examples including screen shots, see Cahaba's site at www.cahabagba.com/rhhi/news/20100112_elga.htm.

• If you aren't following the new claims data requirements for hospice that went into effect Jan. 1, don't expect to get paid.

Starting with the new year,Medicare now requires hospices to report visits in 15-minute increments by discipline.

"Effective for claims with dates  of service on or after January 1, 2010,Medicare contractors will return your claims that do not contain Revenue Codes 0655 and 0656, but DO contain one or more of visit revenue codes 042x, 043x, 044x, 055x, 056x, or 57x without the appropriate HCPCS code" RHHI Palmetto GBA warns on its Web site. "They will also return claims containing revenue code 0569 when billed without HCPCS code G0155."

For specific billing instructions, see Transmittal No. 1738 (CR 6440)online at www.cms.hhs.gov/Transmittals/downloads/R1738CP.pdf.