Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
Providers Must Document Flu Shot Offer
Nursing homes nationwide could be hit hard this flu season, but new regulations, not pathogens, may deliver the biggest blow. Late in August, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services promised to push the development of a final rule for new immunization standards for skilled nursing facilities.
The agency published a proposed rule in the Aug. 15 Federal Register, offering an abbreviated 15-day comment period. The proposed rule requires all Medicare or Medicaid-certified nursing facilities, as a condition of participation, to offer all residents (or their personal representatives) the pneumococcal vaccine and, in flu season, the influenza vaccine. Providers must give all residents, directly or through a personal representative, the chance to accept or refuse the two vaccinations.
Then, they should document the person's response as well as subsequent care (e.g., names of immunization(s) administered, immunization refused/patient educational materials offered). If the provider determines that an immunization is contraindicated, it should be documented in the medical record.
CMS expects the requirement to be in place for this flu season, said the agency's Sheila Lambowitz at the Aug. 30 SNF/Long-Term Care Open Door Forum.
Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement
- Physicians:
AMA Outlines Possible Upcoming CPT Codes
CMS continues push for disposal of non-physician workpool.
Physicians could soon have [...] - Long-Term Care:
Providers Must Document Flu Shot Offer
If nursing home residents aren't offered vaccine, facility may violate new immunization rules.
Nursing homes [...] - Physicians:
E-Claim/Paper Attachment Combo Slowly Fading
E-standards may be more opportunity than compliance burden.
Tired of sending paper attachments to follow up [...] - DME:
OIG Wants CMS To Help Docs Attend To DME Claims
Will Orange Book revolutionize DME spending?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services should do more [...] - Medical Supplies:
Feds May Wrap Casts, Splints Into Surgical Codes
Providers hoping CMS increases RVUs to compensate for bundling.
Medical offices that provide a lot of [...] - Medicaid:
Medicaid Helps Stave Off Uninsured Increase
Census survey also shows SCHIP's effectiveness.
Thanks to government programs, the plight of individuals without health [...] - Pharmaceuticals:
CAP Comes Off--CMS Clarifies Part B Timeline
Providers afforded pair of chances to choose vendor next year.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid [...] - Medicaid:
Commission Recommendations May Save Billions
Beneficiaries may pay the price through co-pays on non-preferred drugs.
States might start basing their pharmaceutical [...] - DME:
Wheelchair Rule Not Sitting Well With Suppliers
Providers let CMS have it at Open Door Forum.
The power mobility industry may not enter [...] - Enforcement Watch:
Bankruptcy Filing Won't Wash Sins Of Fraud
Providers assets could be confiscated, sold to pay fraud fines.
Healthcare providers looking to buy a [...] - Rehab:
Collect Copays, Or OIG Could Come Knocking
Put policies in place that ensure collection in most scencarios.
With health care costs skyrocketing, providers [...] - Bill Watch
The following bills were introduced in the Senate: S. 1637. A bill to provide emergency [...]
