Fingerprint-Based Background Checks

CMS has issued MLM SE1417 concerning implementation of Fingerprint-Based Background checks.  This was included in the Affordable Care Act legislation also known as (ObamaCare).  This will apply to all individuals that have a 5 percent or greater ownership interest in the following suppliers or providers of newly enrolling Home Health Agencies or newly enrolling Durable Medical Equipment suppliers.

MLM SE1417 Link:

http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/SE1417.pdf

6 Page Face-To-Face Documentation. Ridiculous!

CMS is holding a Special Open Door Forum today at 3:00pm.  They have come up with a 6 page electronic documentation form for the physicians to document the Face-To-Face.  We all know this will just discourage physicians from referring patients for home health care.

We suggest everybody dial in the number (800) 837-1935 at 3:00 pm.  The conference ID number is 20361722.  Maybe if enough people call in we can make a difference!

Agenda Link:

http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Computer-Data-and-Systems/Electronic-Clinical-Templates/Downloads/SuggestedElectronicClinicalTemplateforHomeHealth-posted-04-18-2014.pdf

Handout Link:

http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Computer-Data-and-Systems/Electronic-Clinical-Templates/Downloads/HHF2FEncounterLaunchPPT2014_04_16_v2-6-2-508_Clean-.pdf

6 Page Electronic Clinical Template Link:

http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Computer-Data-and-Systems/Electronic-Clinical-Templates/Downloads/HomeHealtheClinicalTemplateF2FProgressNote21914.pdf

Who Would Have Thought!

The Affordable Care Act required physicians who certify Medicare beneficiaries to have a face-to-face encounter with the patient as part of the certification to obtain home health care.  The Office of Inspector General (OIG) for the Department of Health and Human Services did a study to determine the following

(1) Determined the extent to which physicians who certified home health care documented the face-to-face encounters, (2) Described the nature of face-to-face documentation, and (3) Assessed CMS's oversight of the face-to-face requirement.

They reviewed 644 face-to-face encounter documents to analyze the extent to which the documents confirmed encounters and contained required elements.  They also interviewed the four Home Health and Hospice Medicare Administrative Contractors to determine how they ensure that the home health documents met the face-to-face encounter requirement.  Finally they reviewed guidance and documents and policies from CMS or the HH MACs about monitoring the face-to-face requirement.

Guess what they found? 32 percent of home health claims that required face-to-face encounters, the documentation did not meet Medicare requirements, resulting in $2 billion in payments that should not have been made. Furthermore, physicians inconsistently completed the narrative portion of the face-to-face documentation. Some face-to-face documents provide information that, although not required by Medicare, could be useful, such as a printed name for the physician and a list of the home health services needed. CMS oversight of the face-to-face requirement is minimal.

 They recommend that CMS

 (1) Consider requiring a standardized form to ensure that physicians include all elements required for the face-to-face documentation, (2) Develop a specific strategy to communicate directly with physicians about the face-to-face requirement, and (3) Develop other oversight mechanisms for the face-to-face requirement.

How did CMS regard the study?  They concurred with all of the OIG recommendations.

Actually having a standard form and educating the physicians - Who would have thought!

(Sarcasm font needed for the next sentence.)

No let's not think and allege overpayments to home health agencies!

For more information please use the following link.

http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/OEI-01-12-00390.pdf

Hospice Medicare Cost Report

Your company has either recently completed your Medicare Cost Report for 2013, you are working to complete it, or it is on your TO Do List.  Major changes are coming to the Medicare Cost Report for Future years.  Are you aware of this and are you collecting the right data within your system?  Do you need to know about the changes and what you need to be keeping records on?  Join us on line for our Webinar tomorrow April 8, 2014 at 3:00 Eastern to learn about the changes and what you need to be doing, now.

Understanding the New Hospice Medicare Cost Report - Webinar

Live and On Demand Webinar

Tuesday April 8, 2014 at 3:00 - 4:00 PM EST

This One Hour Webinar will cover the New Hospice Medicare Cost Report. It will include the following items: 

1.     Review of New Required Information

2.     Identify New Required Patient and Census Information

3.     Review the New Overhead Cost Centers

4.     Explain the Multiple Worksheet A's for Continuous Home Care, Routine Home Care, Inpatient Respite Care, and General Inpatient Care

5.     Identify New Statistics Required to Allocate Cost on Worksheet B-1

6.     Explain the Flow of the New Hospice Cost Report Worksheet by Worksheet

The Webinar will be held live, but you can also view the Webinar at a later time because it will be recorded.  Your registration fee is only $199 for your entire company.  The registration fee also will include handouts that you will receive via email.  

To  attend the exciting new Webinar  please download the Registration Form and fax it back to us  at   (888) 577-6932 or email Margaret@dixonhsi.com.  We have a very short time frame to register attendees so we request you not use the mail.  We do accept all major credit cards.  Once you register you will not be able to cancel since you or any of your employees can view the recording of the Webinar at your leisure. 

Registration Form:

http://www.dixonhsi.com/Registration%20Form%20-%20Webinar%20Hospice%20Medicare%20Cost%20Report.pdf

You can register by phone by calling 

(321) 473-8561 and ask to speak with Margaret.