Posted by Crystal Parks on May 28, 2014 7:15:27 AM
he Hospice Association of America (HAA), a NAHC affiliate, has learned that many hospices have received letters from PRS, a debt collection company, requesting payment for pain medications that were paid under Medicare Part D that should have been covered under the Medicare Part A hospice benefit. The claims are for 2011 and 2012 payment.
Topics: Hospice Payments
Posted by Crystal Parks on Feb 19, 2014 4:44:13 PM
As part of a recent MLN Matters article, MLN Matters SE1249 Revised, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that its intended April 1, 2014, termination of access to Common Working File (CWF) eligibility queries in the Fiscal Intermediary Standard System (FISS) Direct Data Entry (DDE), often referred to as the HIQA, HIQH, ELGA and ELGH screens and HUQA, will be further delayed.
Topics: Hospice Payments
Posted by Crystal Parks on Aug 6, 2013 9:15:00 AM
This final rule updates the hospice payment rates and the wage index for fiscal
year (FY) 2014. The budget neutrality adjustment factor (BNAF) phase-out will continue with successive 15 percent reductions in FY 2015 and FY 2016. BNAF reduction in FY 2014 will be 70 percent. This final rule also clarifies how hospices are to report diagnoses on hospice claims, and provides updates to the public on hospice payment reform. Additionally, this final rule changes the requirements for the hospice quality reporting program by discontinuing currently reported measures and implementing a Hospice Item Set with seven National Quality Forum (NFQ) endorsed measures beginning July 1, 2014 and will implement the hospice Experience of Care Survey on January 1, 2015, as proposed.
Topics: Hospice Wage Index, Hospice Payments, Hospice Quality Measures
Posted by Crystal Parks on Jul 31, 2013 9:51:00 AM
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released Change Request (CR) 8358, Additional Data Reporting Requirements for Hospice Claims. The implementation date on the CR is January 6, 2014. There is, however, additional voluntary reporting and mandatory reporting dates which are outlined below. CMS states that the additional claims data supports hospice payment reform as authorized by the ACA. Last month, NAHC and its affiliate, the Hospice Association of America (HAA), sent comments to CMS on the Proposed Rule: Medicare Program; FY2014 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update; Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements; and Updates on Payment Reform (CMS-1449-P).
Topics: Hospice Association of America, CMS, Hospice Wage Index, Hospice Payments
Posted by Crystal Parks on Jul 25, 2013 10:42:00 AM
As part of an April 29, 2013 release, Proposed Rule: Medicare Program;FY2014 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update; Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements; and Updates on Payment Reform (CMS-1499-P), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) included information about progress to date on research to develop a new hospice payment system - including discussion of several options that could be used in concert to reform hospice payments. Options discussed include:
Topics: Hospice Association of America, CMS, Hospice Wage Index, Hospice Payments
