The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) does not have reliable data or sufficient oversight to measure and prevent duplication of postpayment claims reviews. CMS should provide additional oversight and guidance regarding data, duplicative reviews and contractor correspondence to improve effectiveness and efficiency of postpayment […]
Category: Home Health Care
Average overall rating of hospice care is 93 out of 100, according to the latest results of a survey by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In the Hospice Experience of Care Survey, more than 1,100 individuals reported experiences from decedents receiving hospice care from 29 different hospice organizations. The survey is meant to act […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued four change requests that provide guidance on home health policy and claims processing issues, seeking to improve compliance and prevent program vulnerability. The first, Change Request 8699, prevents duplicate payments when overlapping inpatient and home health claims are out of sequence. The request improves safeguards […]
With talks heating up in recent months around two possible acquirers for major home health and hospice provider Gentiva (NYSE: GTIV), the company says regardless of a possible merger, it’s positioning itself to be a major presence in the post-acute care sector. Kindred Healthcare (NYSE: KND) and an unnamed party have upped their bids for […]
Hospices serving Medicare beneficiaries will see an estimated 1.4%, or $230 million, increase in their reimbursements for fiscal year 2015, according to a final rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The payment increase would be the net result of a hospice payment update to the hospice per diem rates of […]
Changing health care legislation has pushed the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) in the industry, but new technologies are emerging to keep up with the industry’s evolving needs. LG CNS, a subsidiary of LG focused on information technology services, has rolled out a new version of its Point of Care Solution (POCS) in order […]
The National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) has sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), pushing the agency to give hospice organizations more time to comply with upcoming cost report changes. Industry organizations await CMS’ final version of the revised Hospice Cost & Data Report, which proposes significant […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has scaled back its restrictions requiring all hospice drugs to be approved before they can be dispensed. Now, prior authorization will only be necessary for four categories of prescription drugs: analgesics, anti-nauseants, laxatives and anti-anxiety medications, according to a recent CMS memorandum. “We recognize that the operational […]
Arizona-based home health company Sinfonia Healthcare Corporation (NASDAQ:PRSC) is launching operations beyond the Grand Canyon state into Virginia. Sinfonía announced its newest home health operation, Sinfonía Family Services of Virginia, Inc,. on Wednesday. The Farmville, Va.-based operator will offer services statewide, including home-based and school-based counseling, substance abuse treatment, medical services for the mentally ill, […]
The ever-present and impending funding cuts to the home health industry have yet to signal that the sky is falling, but while some providers may be feeling the strain financially, others are more optimistic of the future to come—with short term consolidation in the meantime. Regulatory cuts to home health Medicare payment rates, such as […]
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