Home Health & Hospice Week

But watch out for problems with transitioning patients to their primary care physicians. Home health agencies scored one major change in the face to face encounter final rule -- but it comes with its own set of downsides. Then: Back in July, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services proposed that the same physician had to make the FFE, refer the patient to home care, initiate the home care orders, certify the patient for home care, and sign of the plan of care. Now: In response to agency protests that that continuity wouldn't work for many patients' hospital stays, CMS has changed the requirement, according to the PPS final rule published in the Nov. 17 Federal Register. A hospital physician is now allowed to make the FFE and document it, initiate orders, and certify the patient for home care, CMS explains. Then the patient's physician in the community can sign the [...]