On the CMS Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum held today, March 2nd., staff from CMS discussed the use of the HHABN when discharging a patient because there was no F2F encounter within the required time frame. This is a clarification of an earlier policy which said that the HHABN was not to be used in this situation.
Option BOX 2 can be used because the agency is ending services for administrative reasons such as lack of a F2F encounter. It is a change of care notice only and there is no beneficiary liability for the care provided. Further written clarification from CMS will be forthcoming.
Think Home Care Blog 
face to face encounter is a must especially for physicians sot that when the requirement is out it will be a smooth process when it comes to billing the clients.
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