Hospice Insights Podcast: What’s the Latest on UPICs? Highlights from Recent Audit Activity, Part I
Hospice Insights Podcast - Stories of Successful Hospice Leadership: The CEO and Chief Medical Officer Relationship
Hospice Insights Podcast - A Rise in Medicare Deactivations: Tips for Avoiding This Financial Pain
AGG Talks: Home Health & Hospice Podcast - Episode 5: Understanding Palliative Care: Strategies for Compliance and Reimbursement
Hospice Insights: Check the Mail: Are You Getting a 4% Rate Cut?
Hospice Labor and Employment Trends - Get Up to Speed Fast: What You Need to Know About the New Rules Involving Non-Competes and Exempt Employees
AGG Talks: Home Health & Hospice - Lessons Learned From ALJ Hospice Audit Appeals
Hospice Insights Podcast - A Refresh: What’s New in the New OIG General Compliance Program Guidance
Hospice Insights Podcast - Deal Breakers: Identifying Key Issues Early in Member Substitutions
A Command Performant(s): RAC Audits on the Rise
The TPE Carousel. . . Around and Around We Go
A Fond Farewell: Musings on the End of the Medicare Advantage Hospice Carve-In Demonstration
OMG. . .The OIG is at it Again
How One Hospice Owner Got Convicted of Healthcare Fraud and How You Can Avoid That Fate
Hospice and Home Health Survey Perspectives: A Conversation with Kim Skehan, VP of Accreditation at CHAP
Year in Review: Key Regulatory Updates in 2023
An Alternative to Consolidations: Key Considerations for Management Services Organizations
Stories of Successful Hospice Leadership: The CEO and Compliance Officer Relationship
A Very “Special” Episode: Amid Controversy, CMS Launches the Hospice Special Focus Program
Grace from CMS: Unexpected Good News on HIS and CAHPS Appeals
On Nov. 13, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized its 2024 home health rule, which includes certain changes applicable to Medicare-enrolled hospices. This rule initially was proposed June 30,...more
On July 28, 2023, CMS issued a final rule (CMS-1787-F) updating Medicare hospice payment rates and the aggregate cap amount applicable to fiscal year 2024 (the Final Rule). According to CMS, the Final Rule is part of CMS’s...more
The Biden administration recently released three final rules that provide for an aggregate $1.19 billion increase in Medicare payments in fiscal year 2023 for hospices, rehabilitation facilities, and psychiatric facilities. ...more
On November 2, 2021, CMS put on display its final rule that, among other things, updates the home health and home infusion therapy services payment rates for calendar year (CY) 2022; makes significant changes to the provider...more
By October 1, 2021, hospices will need to update their election addendum form to address a change made by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the final rule. The government has provided much-needed...more
House Bill 286, which became effective March 20, 2019, permits a hospice care program (HCP) with inpatient facilities or units to admit non-hospice palliative care patients (NHPCPs) to the inpatient hospice facility or unit...more
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is moving forward with its Patients over Paperwork initiative, which was created in accordance with President Trump’s Executive Order directing federal agencies to reduce...more
On September 26, 2019, CMS issued a Final Rule that CMS intends will reform certain Medicare regulations related to standards and certifications that CMS identified as “unnecessary, obsolete, or excessively burdensome.” CMS...more
On September 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released a final rule with comment period entitled, “Program Integrity Enhancements to the Provider Enrollment Process” (the “Final Rule”). The...more
On August 6, 2019, CMS finalized its 2020 hospice rule, including adopting, without substantial modification, two controversial and material changes to the hospice benefit: Rebasing payment rates to shift about $500...more
On July 31, 2019, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the hospice payment rule (CMS-1714-F), which is scheduled to be published on August 6, 2019. The rule updates hospice payment rates, wage index...more
CMS updated payment rates, implemented statutory changes, and continued to provide guidance on quality reporting measures and requirements in the FY 2019 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update Final Rule published on...more
Balancing Gene Therapy’s Promise and Price - Editor’s Note: Exciting advances in science have led to developing treatment breakthroughs, such as gene scripting therapies, that could represent the first potential cures...more
Nondiscrimination Final Rule under the ACA Imposes New Requirements on Hospice Agencies - On May 26, 2016, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Civil Rights (OCR), issued the...more
On May 26, 2016, the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office of Civil Rights (OCR), issued the “Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities” final rule, implementing Section 1557 of the...more
On August 5, 2016, CMS released a final rule addressing fiscal year (FY) 2017 updates to the hospice wage index, payment rates, and quality reporting requirements. Of note, the final rule increases hospice payments by 2.1...more
On July 29, 2016, CMS released three separate final rules updating the fiscal year 2017 payment rates for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), hospices and inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). Payments will increase...more
Final ACO Fraud Waiver Under OMB Review – The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) reported on September 9, 2015, that it began its review of the final rule (CMS-1439-F; RIN 0938-AR30), titled “Medicare Shared...more
CMS Issues SNF Final Payment Rule for FY 2016 – On July 30, 2015, CMS released the final Medicare FY 2016 payment rule for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The final rule will result in an estimated increase of $430 million...more
On August 4, 2014, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule updating the hospice wage index and payment rate for Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 and adopting a number of payment reforms addressing concerns...more
CMS Proposes Payment Changes for Hospice Providers, SNFs, IRFs and Inpatient Psych Facilities – Last week, CMS issued proposed rules that would make certain payment and policy changes to the payment systems for...more
Beginning August 26, 2013, skilled nursing facilities participating in Medicare and nursing facilities participating in Medicaid (collectively referred to as “long-term care facilities”) that choose to arrange for the...more
Final rule aims to improve the quality and consistency of care between long-term care facilities and hospice providers but may increase conflict between facility and provider staff. ...more