A new report from the Department of Health and Human Services found improper payment for home health claims climbed slightly in 2021, despite a decline in the overall improper payment rate, according to a CMS release.
From the HHS report:
Insufficient documentation for home health claims continues to be prevalent. The improper payment estimate for home health claims increased from 9.30% in FY 2020 to 10.24% in FY 2021; the change is not statistically significant. The primary reason for these errors is missing or insufficient documentation to support the certification of home health eligibility requirements.
Hospice claims saw a similar increase, from 6.69% in 2020 to 7.77% in 2021. Skilled nursing facilities saw the improper payment rate climb more than two percentage points, from 5.43% in 2020 to 7.79% in 2021.