New at Noyce Consulting — Regulatory
OIG Report: Hospices Should Improve NOEs and CTIs
"Hospices Should Improve Their Election Statements [NOE] and Certifications of Terminal Illness [CTI]," the Office of Inspector General (OIG) entitled its September 15, 2016 report.
CMS indicated in the FY 2017 Hospice Final Rule, the OIG reported that “Hospices commonly billed for GIP when the beneficiary did not have uncontrolled pain or unmanaged symptoms."
5-Star Ratings on Home Health Compare Need Improvement
Home health providers caring for more patients who are harder to treat generally receive lower 5-Star ratings and pay, while agencies serving easier-to-manage patients earn more money and receive higher Home Health Compare 5-Star ratings. This problem and other findings concern the "Quality of Patient Care Star Ratings Technical Expert Panel" (TEP). The panel met May 2-3, 2016 in Maryland to discuss data analyses of Home Health Compare's about-one-year-old 5-Star rating system for home health agencies, according to meeting minutes distributed by Abt Associates. The TEP discussed worries that disparity between the effort required to care for patients and the financial...
Worried about 2017 Hospice Proposed Rule? Comment by 6.20.
Time to speak up and let Medicare know how hospice professionals feel about the 2017 Hospice proposed rule.
Not sure what the rule says? Watch my free webinar Kinnser sponsored about the 2017 hospice propose rule. You can view it here.
Tell NAHC About Your Probe and Educate Audit Results
Has your Medicare administrative contractor (MAC) requested five home health patient records for pre-payment review?
Did the MAC deny payment for any of them?What's your take on CMS' 2017 Hospice Proposed Rule?
Submit your comments here if you see things in hospice differently than does CMS' proposals and the rationale for proposals in the FY 2017 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements (FY 2017 Hospice Proposed Rule) posted Thursday (4.28.16).
Your views could persuade CMS to write a more hospice-strengthening version for the FY 2017 Hospice Final Rule.