Eli's Hospice Insider

MACs answer agencies’ questions about drug reporting in newly expanded Q&As.

Question:  What do we need to put on the claim when the patient has prescriptions already filled upon admission?

Answer: The HHH Medicare Administrative Contractors address this question in their newly revised joint question-and-answer set based on Change Request 8358. CR 8358 addresses the greatly expanded hospice claims data reporting requirements that took effect April 1.

“Prescription drugs that were filled prior to the patient electing the Medicare hospice benefit would not be reported,” the MACs answer (Q&A number 61 in National Government Services’ Q&A set, Q&A number 38 under the “CR8358 Drug and Infusion Pump Reporting Questions” heading in CGS’s and Palmetto GBA’s Q&A sets). “Once the patient elects the Medicare hospice benefit, you will report all medications prescribed for the palliation and management of the terminal illness and related conditions.”

The newly released Q&As contain five revised questions and 14 brand new Q&As, NGS says. That brings the total number of Q&As in the MACs’ CR 8358 set to 63. 

Note: Find CGS’s set at www.cgsmedicare.com/hhh/education/faqs/COPE24969.html, Palmetto’s set at www.palmettogba.com/palmetto/providers.nsf/DocsCat/Jurisdiction-11-Home-Health-and-Hospice~9H3NHM8217 and the National Association for Home Care & Hospice has posted NGS’s set at www.nahc.org/assets/1/7/1530_ 0414_HospicesV1.2.pdf.