Eli's Hospice Insider

Published on Thu Apr 18, 2019 PDF

Plus: Check our your preview report now.

Hospices finally will see some relief in the Hospice Compare’s website’s search function problems — hopefully.

Since the site went live in August 2017, providers have complained that the location search results were incorrect and/or incomplete.

For the May refresh, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has improved the zip code search function, a CMS staffer revealed in the agency’s April 3 Open Door Forum for home care providers, including hospices. New Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA) data should supplement the Hospice Item Set and claims data already used and “improve the search function to be more representative of a hospice’s service area,” he assured attendees. CMS will continue to monitor the issue.

Another change: In May, the Compare site also will start displaying information gleaned from Medicare Public Use Files (PUFs). The new info displayed includes average daily census, levels of hospice care provided, medical conditions treated, and locations care is provided, the CMS source said.

The staffer also addressed hospices’ Hospice Compare preview reports, which were posted in the CASPER system April 1. Each report covers 12 months of HIS data, and is hospices’ chance to correct any incorrect data before it hits the public website.

Watch for: CMS will host a June training event about the reports, the source said. CMS will post details on its Hospice Quality Reporting Program website when available.