Palmetto GBA Home Health Face To Face Check List - 12/16/2015

We were quiet last week because Margaret and I took a long needed break by taking a 7 day cruise to Nassau, St Thomas and St Martin. It was a wonderful break, but now it is time to get back to work.  On December 9^th, Palmetto GBA issued a Home Health Face to Face Checklist.  We all know about the Probe Edits currently being conducted as we have discussed in our 11/16/2015 email update.  Using the Palmetto GBA Home Health Face To Face Checklist can help point out areas that need to be addressed in the Face To Face Documentation.

You can download the checklist here!

http://www.palmettogba.com/Palmetto/Providers.Nsf/files/Home_Health_Face_to_Face_Checklist.pdf/$File/Home_Health_Face_to_Face_Checklist.pdf 

Palmetto GBA Hospice Medical Audit Form - 12/2/2015

Yesterday we sent an email regarding a Home Health Audit Form from Palmetto GBA.  I researched their website and found a similar tool for hospice.  They have suggested that Hospices utilize this form or check list when gathering information to respond to ADRs or other Medicare claims review.  We believe hospices could utilize some of the items in this form along with some additional items to develop a great monthly billing and clinical check list.  We are currently working on this project and intend to include it in our hospice seminar Plug in to Win that will be held in Las Vegas on January 28th – January 29th. You can download the Palmetto GBA Form Here! http://www.palmettogba.com/Palmetto/Providers.Nsf/files/Hospice_Documentation_Audit_Tool.pdf/$File/Hospice_Documentation_Audit_Tool.pdf

Palmetto GBA New Home Health Medical Audit Form - 12/1/2015

On Monday November 23^rd Palmetto issued a new Home Health Medical Audit Form.  They have suggested that home health agencies utilize this form or check list when gathering information to respond to ADRs or other Medicare claims review.  We believe home health agencies could utilize some of the items in this form along with some additional items to develop a great end of episode billing check list.  We are currently working on this project and intend to include it in our home health seminar Plug in to Win that will be held in Las Vegas on January 28^th – January 29^th.

You can download the Palmetto GBA Form Here!

http://www.palmettogba.com/Palmetto/Providers.Nsf/files/Home_Health_Medical_Record_Audit_Form.pdf/$File/Home_Health_Medical_Record_Audit_Form.pdf

Last Day For Lowest Vegas Registration Rate - 11/30/215

We will be presenting our Annual Home Health Seminar and Annual Hospice Seminar in Las Vegas on January 28^th - January 29^th.  This year’s title for both seminars is Plug in to Win. We have reduced the seminar from three days to two days.  We have done this to reduce the amount of time our clients and attendees will have to spend away from home.  These seminars will concentrate on the areas our previous seminar attendees have requested. 

Home Health Topics

Home Health Update

Win With Value-Based Purchasing Model

ICD-10-CM Impact on Home Health Coding

Defending Medicare Claims – Legal

Supporting Medicare Claims – Clinical

See What Condition My Conditions Are In

Winning Financial Strategies

Business & Employment Relationship Issues

Hospice Topics

Hospice Update

Understanding Hospice Cost Report Changes

ICD-10-CM Impact on Hospice Coding

Defending Medicare Claims – Legal

Supporting Medicare Claims – Clinical

How to use Hospice Data to Improve Quality of Care at the End of Life

Winning Financial Strategies

Business & Employment Relationship Issues

Nationally recognized speakers are Richard K. Dixon, Robert Liles, and J’non Griffin.  We are adding Heather Calhoun as an additional speaker for the hospice program

The home health seminar will have 10 hours of home health administrator CEUs approved by Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services.  The hospice seminar will have 10 hours of hospice administrator CEUs approved by Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services. Both seminars will have 10 hours of Nursing CEU's provided by Corexcel and Dixon Healthcare Solutions, Inc.  

The lowest registration rate of $699 for the first registrant and $599 for each additional registrant expires today.  Beginning on December 1^st the rates will increase to $799 for the first registrant and $699 for each additional registrant.

OIG Work Plan 2016 - 11/20/2015

The Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services has issued their Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2016.  This reports shows the OIG accomplishments for fiscal year 2015.  This report concerns all the OIG’s plans for 2016.

Under the section for hospice it shows they will focus on the use of general inpatient care to determine if it is being used appropriately by the hospice industry.  They also plan to continue to review if hospice claims to determine if they meet the Medicare eligibility requirements and if the hospice is providing the appropriate level of care to the patients.

Under the home health section they will focus on reviewing clinical documentation to determine if the Medicare claims meet the home health eligibility requirements.  Prior year OIG audits claimed that one in four home health agencies had questionable billing practices.  They will continue to review home health billing practices in 2016.

To review the entire OIG Work Plan for 2016 please follow this link.

http://www.oig.hhs.gov/reports-and-publications/archives/workplan/2016/oig-work-plan-2016.pdf

Adapt & Learn to Think Outside the Box - 11/19/2015

Yesterday I wrote an article for home health agencies.  Today’s article is for hospices.  Hospice seems to follow home health in the regulation development department.  This year we have new payment rates for the first sixty days of a patients hospice stay, reduced payment rates for the remaining days of a patient’s hospice day and a possibility of Services Intensity Add-on (SAI) Payment for the last seven days of a patient’s life.  This new rule alone is probably driving your IT and billing personnel nuts. 

These new variable routine home care payment codes will make it more difficult to determine where you stand with your annual hospice cap.  We also have ICD-10-CM coding up and running along with adding all the appropriate diagnosis codes to your hospice claims.  CMS made some last minute changes to some of the items in the new Hospice Medicare Cost Report that is in effect for all hospices with years beginning on or after October 1, 2014

I have been involved in the Medicare program for over 30 years and have seen tremendous amounts of change, but I have not seen so much change in such a short period of time.  Just think about Routine Home Care Payment Changes, New Hospice Medicare Cost Report,  Calculating your own Hospice CAP Report, ZIPCs, RACs, ICD-10-CM, New Wage & Hour Laws, and potential new hospice payment rates in the future. 

You will have the opportunity to obtain much of the information you need at our new “Plug in to Win” 2-Day Hospice Seminar at Bally’s in Las Vegas, NV January 28^th to January 29^th.  This seminar feature Richard Dixon, President of Dixon Healthcare Solutions, Inc.  It will also feature J’non Griffin one of the leading hospice coding and clinical experts in the country, Robert Liles one of the leading hospice attorney’s, and Heather Calhoun a leading clinical and quality improvement consultant.   You will have the opportunity for free 15 minute appointments with each speaker.  Over 99% of our previous attendees recommend and would attend a future Dixon Healthcare Solutions, Inc. seminar.  Learn to adapt and think outside the box so your home health agency can succeed.

Wake Up or Get Left Behind - 11/18/2015

I have been quite disappointed with the home health industry lately.  Medicare continues to make enormous changes to the rules and regulations and it appears either everybody is asleep at the switch or they just don’t care.  We had two one-day seminars regarding the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model and how to make the necessary changes for home health agencies to succeed.  I know it is fall and it was only a one-day seminar, but the attendance was lower than expected.  We held a seminar in Louisville, KY as a central point for Tennessee, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, and North Carolina.  We also held a seminar in Orlando, FL mainly for the state of Florida.

I was astonished that only one home health agency in Florida attended the meeting in Orlando, but we had people come from Arizona, Nebraska and many other states.  The Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model program starts for 9 states effective on January 1, 2016, which is less than two months from today.  The states are Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, Washington, Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, and Tennessee. 

CMS is determined to have most of all future Medicare payments based on outcomes.  This Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model will probably spread to all states by 2019 or 2020.  I know that most of are overwhelmed by all of the changes, but we must adapt to meet the changes or we will be forced out of business.

I have been involved in the Medicare program for over 30 years and have seen tremendous amounts of change, but I have not seen so much change in such a short period of time.  Just think about Face-To Face, ZIPCs, RACs, ICD-10-CM, New Wage & Hour Laws, and now Value-Based Payments. 

You will have the opportunity to obtain much of the information you need at our new “Plug in to Win”

2-Day Home Health Seminar at Bally’s in Las Vegas, NV January 28^th to January 29^th.  This seminar feature Richard Dixon, President of Dixon Healthcare Solutions, Inc.  I it will also feature J’non Griffin one of the leading home health coding and clinical experts in the country and Robert Liles one of the leading home health attorney’s.  You will have the opportunity for free 15 minute appointments with each speaker.  Over 99% of our previous attendees recommend and would attend a future Dixon Healthcare Solutions, Inc. seminar.  Learn to adapt and think outside the box so your home health agency can succeed.

http://dixonhealthcaresolutions.com/home-health/

http://dixonhealthcaresolutions.com/hospice/