Home Health Line Breaking News
04/04/2013
CMS has issued its first official statement on how it will implement the class action settlement to end Medicare’s “improvement standard.”
 
“Any actions undertaken in connection with this settlement do not represent an expansion of coverage," CMS notes.
 
04/03/2013
CMS will no longer require you to apply a modifier to visits not ordered by the certifying physician for episodes starting on or after July 1.
 
That’s the upshot of a transmittal published on the federal Medicare agency’s website April 3.
 
04/02/2013
Due to problems with CMS’ quarterly systems release, certain claims with service “through” dates on or after April 1 won’t be released for processing until April 15, CMS announced late Monday.
 
The glitch affects all home health final claims with those through dates.
 
03/29/2013
The long-term care commission created by the “fiscal cliff agreement” added its last three members this month and is ready to start work.
 
The commission is tasked with finding a replacement for the long-term insurance provision in the Affordable Care Act.
 
03/27/2013
A bill that would allow non-physician practitioners to sign off on home health certifications is gaining traction again.
 
Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, says she will soon reintroduce the Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act.
 
03/25/2013
An analysis by a Medicare administrative contractor (MACs) shows that the overall percentage of claims affected by a new edit is likely to be small, but most agencies would see at least some denials.
 
The edit will apply to services provided on or after May 1.
 
03/19/2013
Expect CMS to issue several long-awaited releases in the coming months – including a draft of OASIS-C1, additional guidance on how new survey sanctions will be implemented and revised conditions of participation for home health.
 
That was the message conveyed by several CMS staffers at this week's NAHC conference.
 
03/15/2013
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) once again is asking Congress to impose a home health copay for certain episodes and remove therapy visit counts as a payment factor.
 
The recommendations came as part of MedPAC’s annual report to Congress, which is published every March.
 
03/13/2013
Five major players in health care software are banding together to form the “CommonWell Health Alliance,” which will be dedicated to the establishment of a national standard of interoperability.
 
The collaboration was announced at the HIMSS13 Annual Conference and Exhibition in New Orleans on March 4.
 
03/12/2013
Sequestration cuts, which are set to begin April 1, will be applied based on the day patients are discharged from home health.
 
That's one of several clarifications HHS has recently shared with HHL.

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