Online resource packed with regulatory news and expert guidance, tips & tools pertinent to professionals across the post-acute care continuum.
Agencies will soon be required to submit all claims using new Medicare beneficiary identifiers (MBIs), but agencies should be prepared for times when those MBIs change. Medicare beneficiaries or their authorized representative can request to change the MBI if needed, as can CMS, according to a release from Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) CGS. This could happen if the […]
At the downloads section of the OASIS Data Specifications webpage, final OASIS D-1 data submission specifications are available (see related link). The new version V2.31.0 is useful for OASIS assessments with an M0090 Date Assessment completed of Jan. 1, 2020 or later. The changes with this version are necessary for the transition to the Patient-Driven […]
There are less than fifty days until the Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers (MBIs) transition period is over. Providers will be required to use MBIs on claims beginning Jan. 1, 2020. As of that date, there only will be a few exceptions for when providers will be allowed to use Social Security-based Health Insurance Claim Numbers (HICNs) […]
The home care workforce is expected to add more than one million additional jobs between 2018 and 2028, with the most growth among personal care aides. Evidence based on job vacancies, turnover and unmet need suggests that the supply of workers is increasingly insufficient to meet demand. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ employment projections […]
CMS in its latest quarterly OASIS Q&As provided agencies with additional guidance about how to respond to GG items capturing information on prior device use, self-care and mobility. Questions 28 through 36 of the October 2019 Q&As deal with these items, which were added to the OASIS this year. In Question 35, one agency asked […]
CMS has re-released an MLN Matter article to confirm the decision to suppress payments associated with requests for anticipated payment (RAPs) for new agencies also impacts existing agencies that have undergone a change of ownership. MLN Matters article SE19005 was originally released Feb. 15 and provided information about CMS’ placement of new agencies into a […]
The number of agencies achieving five stars in the quality of care ratings dropped slightly in the October 2019 refresh of Home Health Compare. While this isn’t the first time it’s happened, typically the number increases quarter over quarter. CMS data show 641 agencies nationwide earned five stars in the ratings system involving quality of care, […]
CMS will hold its next home health, hospice and durable medical equipment open door forum at 2 p.m. EST on Nov. 6. Topics will include the home health payment rule and the review choice demonstration as well as a home health billing update related to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). View the agenda at https://go.cms.gov/1TlLRb4.
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA) on Oct. 28. The bill has since been received by the Senate and referred to the committee on health, education, labor and pensions. Designed to promote education and research in palliative care and hospice, the bill would create fellowships […]
The Joint Commission is seeking continued recognition as a national accrediting organization for home health agencies that wish to participate in Medicare or Medicaid programs. A proposed notice acknowledging receipt of an application from The Joint Commission was published in the Federal Register Oct. 24 and is open for public comment through 5 p.m. Nov. […]