The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (OIG) is currently working on reviews of how home health agencies have responded to the pandemic. 
 
The most recent addition is an audit of home health services provided as telehealth during the public health emergency (PHE), announced last month.
 
“We will evaluate home health services provided by agencies during the COVID-19 public health emergency to determine which types of skilled services were furnished via telehealth, and whether those services were administered and billed in accordance with Medicare requirements,” according to OIG’s description of the audit.
 
Any services that were improperly billed will be reported as overpayments, officials noted.
 
OIG had previously announced a nationwide study of “home health agencies’ challenges and strategies in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Last fall, officials announced a more targeted review of infection control deficiencies focused on interviews with the three largest agencies and some agencies that had recently been cited for deficiencies.