A new notice from Medicare administrative contractors (MACs) is highlighting requirements around the late Notice of Admission (NOA) exception process.
 
The four circumstances that may qualify the HHA for an exception are as follows:
  1. Fires, floods, earthquakes, or other unusual events that inflict extensive damage to the HHA’s ability to operate;
  2. An event that produces a data filing problem due to a CMS or A/B MAC (HH+H) systems issue that is beyond the control of the HHA (example U537F issue);
  3. A newly Medicare-certified HHA that is notified of that certification after the Medicare certification date, or which is awaiting its user ID from its A/B MAC (HH+H); or,
  4. Other circumstances determined by the A/B MAC (HH+H) or CMS to be beyond the control of the HHA.
MACs shall not grant exceptions if:
  • the HHA can correct the NOA without waiting for Medicare systems actions
  • the HHA submits a partial NOA to fulfill the timely-filing requirement, or
  • an HHA with multiple provider identifiers submits the identifier of a location that did not actually provide the service
The notice included other tips on canceling a timely NOA to correct an error and reasons not to cancel an NOA.