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Hospice Insider

Quality:
Focus On These 2 Hospice Quality Measures For Next Few Years
Be sure you're collecting data now or lose money in 2014.Hospices' problems with one of th... Read more
Reimbursement:
Data Reporting Burden Looms On Hospices' Horizon
Medicare may provide a little room on new dataset implementation, at least.Hospice pr... Read more
Performance Improvement:
Get Your Favorite Quality Measures Endorsed
CMS leaves list of industry's concerns unaddressed in final rule.Hospices will have to wai... Read more
Pay For Performance:
Industry's Quality Measure Concerns Remain In Wake Of Final Rule
FEHC length, family impact, and education worry providers.Hospices may feel they have more... Read more
Education:
Get Training On Quality Reporting Requirements, Documentation
You can receive vital information on these topics from the comfort of your own office: ... Read more
Hospice News:
CMS Offers Helping Hand With Free Training On Quality Data Reporting
Access information on overall program as well as data specifics.You can get some help from... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospice CFO Sentenced For Embezzlement
A system of checks and balances in your finance department may help you avoid the fate exp... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospital Sheds Hospice Unit
Hutcheson Medical Center in Fort Oglethorpe, Ga., will sell its hospice unit, Hutcheson Ho... Read more
Coverage:
Gear Up For Drug Coverage Appeals
High-profile press coverage could lead to more beneficiary medication coverage appeals.Hos... Read more
Compliance:
OIG Targets Hospice-SNF Relationships In The New Year
Plus: Medicare may prorate hospitals' payment for patients transferred to hospice.The HHS ... Read more
Regulations:
Don't Forget These New Hospice Requirements
Have you made these changes that took effect Oct. 1? With a new fiscal year came more ... Read more
Medical Review:
Stave Off Common Late Entry Mistakes With These Tips
When does a clarification hurt instead of help?Documentation corrections and additions can... Read more
HIPAA:
Privacy Violations Compound Fraud Penalties
Government prosecutors add HIPAA charges.If a new Department of Justice conviction and gui... Read more
Mergers & Acquisitions:
Hospice Deals Take Place Nationwide
Consolidation of the industry underway.Hospice providers have been busy in the mergers and... Read more
Hospice News:
Learn How To Use Your PEPPER Report
Tap these free resources to help understand your comparative billing stats.If you missed M... Read more
Hospice News:
New Study: Nearly 10% Of Medicare Beneficiaries Die In SNFs
Payment for palliative care should be incorporated into Medicare's skilled nursing facilit... Read more
Hospice News:
CMS Issues Medicaid Payment Rates
Hospices waiting for official notice of Medicaid rates will find they look very familiar, ... Read more
Hospice News:
Watch The Mail For These Envelopes
You may soon get to dislike the color blue, if HHH Medicare Administrative Contractor CGS ... Read more
Reader Question:
Follow These 6 Steps When Denying Patient-Requested Drugs
MAC lays out your responsibilities when you turn down a beneficiary's request for a specif... Read more
Quality:
Kick Your Quality Reporting Program Into Gear As Deadline Nears
Hospices can turn to two new user guides and a training session for help.The specifics of ... Read more
Enforcement:
Don't Overlook Exclusions List Check For Employees
Two home care providers face big repayments due to excluded employees.You could have to co... Read more
Compliance:
Make Sure Employee Bonuses Don't Cross The Line Into Kickbacks
New indictment casts doubt on furnishing employee incentives.What you call a good marketin... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Know Your ICD-10 Diagnosis Codes By Fall 2014
One-year delay to new diagnosis coding set gives providers some breathing room.Now that th... Read more
Education:
Learn The Ins and Outs Of Hospice Diagnosis Coding
Learn how to comply with diagnosis coding requirements. You can receive vital diagnosi... Read more
Documentation:
Take These 5 Steps To Correct Documentation The Right Way
Documentation clarifications can be a big help -- if you use them wisely.With the ple... Read more
Hospice News:
Government Joins Whistleblower Lawsuit
Ignoring VP's complaints brings the feds' wrath down on hospice.Add one more whistleblower... Read more
Hospice News:
Tap These Tools For PEPPER Report
Trying to figure out how to use the new hospice comparative billing report Medicare has se... Read more
Hospice News:
NIH Report Reveals Hospice Stats
Your patient pool will continue to grow in coming years, confirms a new government report.... Read more
Hospice News:
Watch For Revocation Red Flags
Medicare contractors are putting hospices on notice that they are watching for shady deali... Read more
Hospice News:
Turn To This MAC Resource For Education
Have you missed out on helpful educational sessions from your Medicare contractor due to a... Read more
Reimbursement:
Medicare's Hospice Payment Rates To Inch Up Next Year
Wage index adjustment strips $100 million from hospice payments in 2013.Medicare payment r... Read more
ICD-9:
Code More Than Just Primary Diagnosis, Or You'll Be Sorry
The codes you put on your claims will help shape hospice payment reform, CMS warns. If... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Follow These 3 Steps To Coding Success
Pointer: You don't necessarily have to hire a credentialed coder.Hospices that haven't bee... Read more
Appeals:
Court Highlights Hospice Beneficiary Appeal Process
Patient's wife filed suit over non-covered pain meds.Hospices may have to cover more drugs... Read more
Education:
Get Training On Crucial Hospice Topics
Learn how to negotiate the hospice-nursing home minefield and comply with diagnosis codi... Read more
Hospice News:
Whistleblower Lawsuit Leads To Hospice GIP Settlement
Atlanta hospice forks over half-million dollars to lay fraud charges to rest.You'd better ... Read more
Hospice News:
Medicare Payment Pattern Program Focuses On Hospice Hot Spots
If you haven't received it yet, you soon can expect a FedEx delivery that contains your ho... Read more
Hospice News:
HHH MAC Targets Hospice Claims As Non-Terminal
Don't submit a claim with one of these diagnoses, unless your documentation thoroughly bac... Read more
Hospice News:
Access Free Hospice Quality Reporting Training
Trying to get up to speed on the new hospice quality reporting requirements that kick in t... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospice Medical Director Faces Indictment
Hospice medical directors are not out of reach of the long arm of the law. Last fall, Matt... Read more
Hospice News:
National Chain Makes Midwest Purchase
Atlanta-based Gentiva Health Services Inc. has acquired Advocate Hospice in Danville, Ind.... Read more
Hospice News:
Provider Expands Service Area
Lutheran Home Care and Hospice has expanded its hospice program to York County, Penn., rep... Read more
Certification:
Get A Handle On CERT-Based Denials With These 4 Tips
Pointer: Use your own docs to persuade colleagues to improve documentation.So often for ho... Read more
Quality:
CMS Floats Next Set Of Quality Measures For Reporting
Plus: Expect to start filling out a standardized data set tool for patients as soon as 201... Read more
Bundling:
OIG Calls For Crackdown On Hospice-Related Drugs
Medicare paid Part D plans $33 million for drugs that hospices should have covered, new re... Read more
Compliance:
Safeguard Your Reputation By Avoiding Insider Deals With Board Members
Non-profit hospice gets raked over the coals in the press for doing business with board me... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Whistleblower Nurse Nets $1.3 Million From Hospice Fraud Settlement
Your biggest qui tam risks are within the ranks of your own employees.Do you base any of y... Read more
Reimbursement:
With Payment Reform Looming, Standardize Your Financial Data With New Cost Reporting Guidelines
Industry strives to enhance uniformity of financial data.Medicare is working on hospice pa... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospice Utilization Saves Medicare ER, Hospital Costs
Hospice use cuts ER visits dramatically in last month of life.Besides all the good that ho... Read more
Hospice News:
Minority Patients With Heart Failure Lag In Hospice Use
Hospice advocates have long lamented that minority populations use hospice less than white... Read more
Hospice News:
Know When To Ignore Claims Suspensions -- And When Not To
Don't waste time and energy when your claims get suspended, advises HHH Medicare Administr... Read more
Hospice News:
Expect Hospice Cap Info By November
CMS wants its MACs to waste no time in getting up to speed with hospice cap calculations&n... Read more
Hospice News:
Fraud Cases Referred By Senior Medicare Patrol Net Millions
The Senior Medicare Patrol Project is stepping up its activity. In 2011, the 54 Senior Med... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospice Provider Partners With Med School To Train Docs On Palliative Care
A Rhode Island hospice and home care provider will take an active role in making sure phys... Read more
Reimbursement:
Feds Crack Down On GIP Level Of Care
MAC denies majority of claims with 7 or more general inpatient days. Scrutiny of hospice ... Read more
Coverage:
Use These 7 Tips To Defend Your GIP Reimbursement
Make sure each GIP day can stand on its own.Your General Inpatient claims may soon be unde... Read more
Billing:
Don't Let CWF Mistakes Torpedo Your Billing
CMS claims its hands are tied when it comes to inaccuracies in the Common Working File.Whe... Read more
Quality:
Hospices' Quality Reporting Future Starts To Take Shape
You might want to work on your pain management strategies first.Required quality reporting... Read more
Finance:
Small Businesses Eschew Tax Credit, GAO Finds
Credit doesn't provide enough incentive to offer insurance.If you're not using the Small E... Read more
Reimbursement:
Correct Hospice Election Errors The Right Way
Don't stop with submitting a cancel claim when you need to change the NOE.Watch out for er... Read more
Hospice News:
It's Business As Usual Again For Hospice Cap Assessments
Hospices' vacation from cap-related overpayments is over. The Centers for Medicare & M... Read more
Hospice News:
Use These New NCLOS Stats For Benchmarking
Wondering how your hospice patients' length of stay stacks up to your peers? Check out one... Read more
Hospice News:
MAC Offers Helping Hand For Hospice Billing Topics
Need help with your hospice billing? HHH MAC NHIC has issued two new billing guides that m... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospice Facility Building On The Rise
Following a trend seen across the country, one area of Virginia will see its hospice optio... Read more
Hospice News:
Avoid These Pitfalls On New 5010 Claims
Don't let technical oversights lead to claims rejections when Medicare starts enforcing th... Read more
Medical Review:
MAC Cracks Down On Long-Stay Patients
One edit of long-stay patients sees 97% denials. Medicare is clamping down on payments fo... Read more
Coverage:
Check These Documentation Basics For Alzheimer's
Train your clinicians on what reviewers will be looking for. How do you prove that your p... Read more
Reimbursement:
Hospices Off The Hook For Some Hospital Costs
CMS rep answers providers' hospice coverage questions in forum. Every hospice has been th... Read more
Lawsuits:
Whistleblower Lawsuits Menace Hospices
The damage a qui tam lawsuit does to your reputation may be as bad as the financial penal... Read more
Compliance:
Head Off Qui Tam Lawsuits With These 11 Steps
A robust reporting mechanism is your best defense against a whistleblower suit. Being the... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Follow OIG Compliance Plan Guidance Step By Step
Missing an element could set you up for a costly lawsuit, or worse. Don't get caught in t... Read more
Hospice News:
Know The Billing Rules For Revocations
MAC offers clarification on tricky billing situation. Billing can get tricky for patients... Read more
Hospice News:
Get Hospice Discharge Coding Correct Now, Before Changes Hit This Summer
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is reorganizing its hospice discharge co... Read more
Hospice News:
Beware These Diagnoses That Top MAC's Hit List
You should cast a sharp eye on any hospice claims you submit with a primary diagnosis of ... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospice Partners With ACO
Wondering what your relationship with the new Accountable Care Organizations should look ... Read more
Hospice News:
Follow This 5010 Billing Rule For Hospices
Starting Oct. 1, hospices need to note a billing wrinkle in the new 5010 format. In 5010,... Read more
Hospice News:
Get To Know This New Code For Expirations
When a patient passes away, you have another code to put on your claim. CMS has introduce... Read more
Hospice News:
Reset Your CMS Bookmarks
It seems to be a regular occurrence, but can still be a hassle. It's time to reset your b... Read more
Regulations:
Payment Reform Deadline Looms Next Year
Quality reporting, surveys, and more discussed by CMS reps at industry meeting. Cong... Read more
Quality:
You May Report These Quality Measures Sooner Than You Think
Pain, dyspnea, and patient preferences figure in possible future quality measures. W... Read more
Medical Review:
Focus On These Medical Review Hot Spots To Fend Off Denials
Expect scrutiny for claims with dementia as the primary diagnosis. Denials for terminal i... Read more
Audits:
Hospices May Be Next On RACs' Hit List
RACs finally drop audit bomb on home care. After a lengthy delay, Medicare's bounty hunte... Read more
Contractors:
Get To Know Your Recovery Audit Contractor
RACs' contingency fees range from 9 to 12.5 percent. Recovery Audit Contractors may turn ... Read more
Reimbursement:
Protect Against Audits With These 5 Steps
Prioritize your corporate compliance plan. Don't get complacent just because Recovery Aud... Read more
Hospice News:
Don't Bill More Than Monthly
If you submit more than one claim per hospice patient per month, you're on Palmetto GBA's... Read more
Hospice News:
Keep Tabs On Your Employees Or Pay The Price
Keep a close eye on your employees with purchasing power, or you may end up bilked of hun... Read more
Hospice News:
Avoid Issuing Unnecessary Hospice ABNs
Wondering what notice you need to give your hospice patient if you terminate care due to ... Read more
Hospice News:
Class Action Settlement For Nursing Home Patients Benefits California Hospice
Poor behavior on the part of a nursing home chain has resulted in a boon for one hospice.... Read more
Medical Review:
Beware These Medical Review Red Flags
Expect the number of whistleblower suits aimed at hospices to rise. Recent action by the ... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Gentiva Agrees To $25 Million Settlement Over Odyssey Continuous Care Fraud Charges
Five-year corporate integrity agreement requires education, audits. Another fraud settlem... Read more
Documentation:
Make Improvements In Your Charting To Protect Against Increased Scrutiny
Use these 7 tips to keep your rightful hospice reimbursement. Chances are a reviewer's go... Read more
Quality:
Address This Major Unmet Need For Hospice Patients In SNFs
Don't fall short in managing shortness of breath in terminally ill patients. Hospices ser... Read more
Hospice News:
CMS Limits Hospice Quality Data Reporting To 2 Measures -- For Now
You must submit quality data by next January or take a pay cut. Keep your schedule free f... Read more
Hospice News:
NQF Approves 14 Hospice Quality Measures
You can get a sneak peek at hospice quality measures Medicare is likely to require in the... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospice Medical Director Target Of FBI Raid
It's not just hospices feeling the effects of a crackdown on the industry. The feds have ... Read more
Hospice News:
Zone 3 ZPIC Launches
Hospices located in ZPIC Zone 3 can stop wondering who their Zone Program Integrity Contr... Read more
Hospice News:
SoCal VNA Begins Work On Inpatient Hospice Facility
A new hospice inpatient facility is coming to Claremont, Calif. The Visiting Nurses Assoc... Read more
Reader Question:
Know When You're On The Hook For Ambulance Payment -- And When You're Not
Time of admission is a determining factor, Medicare contractor explains. Question: Is my ... Read more
Reader Question:
Beware Claiming Therapy As Unrelated To Hospice
Reviewers are cracking down on what's considered unrelated to the terminal diagnosis. Que... Read more
Reimbursement:
Budget Ax Poised Over Hospices' Necks For 2013
MedPAC commissioners take aim at long stays. You'll have a new hospice quality reporting ... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Policymakers Skeptical Of For-Profit Hospices
Too many too quickly, influential advisory body to Congress feels. For-profit hospices ru... Read more
Billing:
Revamp Your Hospice Discharge Coding In July
Revise one discharge code and learn another. Law- and policy-makers are determined to get... Read more
Quality:
Hospice Quality Data Submission Debuts
OMB approves new reporting form. A sea change in how Medicare will pay for hospice has be... Read more
Hospice News:
For-Profit Hospices Painted With Broad Fraud Brush
Press coverage of hospice closure 'distorted,' industry expert maintains. The hospice ind... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospices Besieged With ADRs
You're not alone if you feel like you're getting bombarded with additional development re... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospice Owner Draws Years Of Jail Time For GIP Upcoding
The feds have their eye on hospice upcoding. The owner of a hospice in Muscle Shoals, Ala... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospice Claims Top OIG's Hit List
Hospices are a target in the HHS Office of Inspector General's top challenges for the yea... Read more
Hospice News:
Gentiva Sheds 11 Hospice Locations
Hard times call for hard measures. National chain Gentiva Health Services Inc. closed or ... Read more
Know Your Facts:
Average LOS Skyrockets While Median LOS Merely Inches Up
For-profit and non-profit margins differ significantly. Rising hospice utilization and ch... Read more
Lawsuits:
More Hospice Enforcement On The Way, Lawsuit Indicates
Get ready to defend your hospice claims if you treat long-stay patients. If you had any d... Read more
Compliance:
Double-Check Your Nursing Home Relationships For Compliance
OIG work plan for this year throws spotlight on this care setting. In a report earlier th... Read more
Studies & Surveys:
Combat SNF Suspicions With These Study Findings
Hospice helps SNFs better meet patients' needs. Authorities are casting a very jaundiced ... Read more
HIPAA:
Your 5010 Extension May Be Shorter Than You Think
Deadline will depend on your testing status. Get ready to start submitting 5010 claims by... Read more
Billing:
Don't Risk Denials With Incorrect Address On 5010
Warning: Your contractor could be issuing incorrect information. If you're sticking to yo... Read more
Hospice News:
Docs Lack Hospice Info, Study Shows
Quality of life tops docs' priority list. You may have more doctors on your side than you... Read more
Hospice News:
Missed The Hospice F2F? Take This Billing Step
Look for the small silver lining regarding billing for a hospice patient for whom you did... Read more
Hospice News:
Longstanding Hospice Claims Glitch Fixed
You can finally resume inputting the certifying hospice physician's NPI and name in the "... Read more
Hospice News:
State Regs Burden Inpatient Hospice Facilities
In addition to handing over its patients to another HHA, the Visiting Nurse & Hospice... Read more
Hospice News:
Hospice Reps Named To CMS Innovations Initiative
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will receive input from home care provid... Read more
Hospice News:
Catch New OIG Training
You can tune in to the HHS Office of Inspector General's website each week to watch a new... Read more
Medical Review:
Beware Claims Denials For OBS Patients
Other claims getting caught up in edits include those for nursing home patients, vascular... Read more
Documentation:
Beef Up Documentation For OBS Patients With These 8 Steps
The more objective measures you use, the better off you'll be in medical review. You'd be... Read more
Tool:
Try Using These Quantifiable Measures To Nail Your Terminal Diagnosis Documentation
Without objective evidence of your patient's decline, you are risking claims denials and ... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Beware This Kickback Danger With Nursing Homes
Don't give extra hospice services to nursing homes, even when they ask. The excuse of "ev... Read more
Compliance:
Make Sure These Documents Are In Your Nursing Home Patients' Files
Plus: Help nursing homes use the MDS to identify residents who need hospice services. Fed... Read more
HIPAA:
5010 Deadline Postponed Until March
Evaluate your options for 5010 compliance. Sweating over the fact that your 5010 standard... Read more
Hospice News:
Help SNFs Improve MDS Accuracy With These Hospice Coding Tips
Pitfall: Facilities may forget that hospice admission triggers a significant change MDS. ... Read more
Hospice News:
As of Jan. 1, you shouldn't use occurrence code 42
As of Jan. 1, you shouldn't use occurrence code 42 on your hospice claims when the benefi... Read more
Hospice News:
Wondering how your hospice average length of stay stats fit in
Wondering how your hospice average length of stay stats fit in with your peers? Now you c... Read more
Hospice News:
You got a little Christmas present
You got a little Christmas present from HHH MAC subcontractor National Government Service... Read more
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