Author: Colleen Pierro

Deadline to Register for MAC Satisfaction Survey is September 30th

Let your voice be heard!

Time is running out to participate in the MAC Satisfaction Indicator (MIS).  Registration will close on Monday, September 30th. Your opinion counts so please participate by completing the  Registration Form

Medicare Administrative Contractor Satisfaction Indicator

CMS strives to continually refine its processes, systems and services in the pursuit of excellence which is our commitment to continuous improvement. In living this commitment, we are providing a tool, the Medicare Administrative Contractor Satisfaction Indicator (MSI), to measure the level of satisfaction providers and suppliers experience with their Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs).  The MSI allows providers the opportunity to influence CMS’ understanding of Medicare contractor performance.  The goal of the MSI is to evaluate these experiences and determine the key drivers of customer satisfaction.  In addition, CMS will use the results of the MSI to monitor trends, improve oversight and increase the efficiency of the Medicare program.

 

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NHIC- Ask the Contractor- August 15th

The Medicare Administrative Contractor, NHIC. Corp., will hold the Hospice & Home Health Ask the Contractor Teleconference (ACT) on August 15th at 10:00 a.m

Ask-the-Contractor Teleconference is an opportunity to speak directly with the contractor. NHIC staff representing a variety of functions will be available to answer questions. NHIC usually will provide some updates to the home health and hospice community but the majority of this call is dedicated to providers as a question and answer open forum.

Registration is required on NHIC’s website- Education Programs.

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Home Health and Hospice ODF- August 7th

The next Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, August 7, 2013 at 2:00 PM  (ET).

To participate by phone:

Dial: 1-800-837-1935 & Reference Conference ID: 14952615.

 Proposed Agenda

1. Opening Remarks

2. Announcements & Updates

  • Marketplace Websites Re-Launch

Website: https://www.healthcare.gov/

Website: http://marketplace.cms.gov/

  • FY 2014 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update
  • HHCAHPS
  • CMS.net Upgrade
  • Status Update on Home Health Advance Beneficiary Notice – Caroline Baker

Website:   http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-General-Information/BNI/HHABN.html

Questions: RevisedABN_ODF@cms.hhs.gov

  • DME Cert Task Force

3. Open Q&A

 

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New OASIS Q&As Released

The July Q&As are here!

CMS has just released the latest guidance for OASIS, July 2013 Quarterly Q&As.  This quarterly update contains 16 new question and answers including guidance related to:

  • Observation stays-When a patient is in observation status at a hospital past day 60 of the current episode, treat this event as a missed recertification and complete the recertification as soon as possible after the patient returns home
  • M1055- clarifying the response if an agency does not immunize patients
  • Clarification to multiple questions related to pressure ulcers and surgical wounds
  • Clarifying time frames in multiple M-items
    • M1240- time frame used to assess pain,
    • M1620 time frame when to assess bowel incontinence and
    • Clarification to M1242, Response 4 – “All the time”
  • Timely resumption of care (ROC)-when a ROC OASIS is done outside the required 48-hour time frame, clinicians must answer “no” to several best practice questions:
    • M1240 (Pain assessment),
    • M1300 (Pressure ulcer risk assessment),
    •  M1730 (Depression screening),
    •  M1910 (Falls risk assessment) and
    • M2250 (Plan of care synopsis).-if a best practice listed under M2250 is not applicable to the patient, answer “NA.”

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Open Door Forum is Tuesday, July 9th

The next Home Health, Hospice & Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Open Door Forum is scheduled for Tuesday, July 9, 2013 from 2:00pm – 3:00pm ET.

Agenda includes:

  • Announcements & Updates
  • Updated Healthcare.gov Announcement
  • Hone Health CAHPS
  • Hospice Vendor Call
  • Requirements for Long Term Care Facilities & Hospice Services
  • Status Update on Home Health Advance Beneficiary Notice
  • Open Q&A

If you wish to participate, dial 1-800-837-1935; Conference ID: 97842778

Today’s ODF Cancelled

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) sent notice yesterday that due to unforeseen circumstances, the June 26, 2013 Home Health, Hospice and DME Open Door Forum (ODF) is postponed until July 9, 2013. A separate notification with a full announcement and agenda will be sent prior to the July 9th call.

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OASIS-C1 is Here!

CMS has issued a Notice in the June 21st Federal Register announcing the proposed version of the OASIS–C1.  This draft of OASIS C-1 has 110 items and reflects changes to accommodate the need to enable the coding of diagnoses using the ICD-10-CM coding set which goes into effect October 1, 2014. The draft also reflects changes to address issues raised by stakeholders, such as updating clinical concepts and modifying item wording and response categories to improve item clarity; and to reduce burden associated with OASIS data collection by removing items not currently used by CMS for payment, quality, or risk adjustment. The draft also adds one new item M1011 (Inpatient diagnosis) at Recertification/Follow-up for the purposes of potential case-mix adjustment.

Comments on the draft OASIS-C1 must be received by August 20, 2013. When commenting,  reference the document identifier or OMB control number (OCN). To be assured consideration, comments and recommendations must be submitted in any one of the following ways:

  1. Electronically.

You may send your comments electronically to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for ‘‘Comment or Submission’’ or ‘‘More Search Options’’ to find the information collection document(s) that are accepting comments.

  1. By regular mail.

You may mail written comments to the following address:

CMS, Office of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs,

Division of Regulations Development,

Attention: Document Identifier/OMB Control Number__ Room C4–26–05,

7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore,

Maryland 21244–1850.

The revised instrument, a table that compares the OASIS-C (Current Version) to the OASIS-C1 (Proposed Data Collection), and the supporting documentation can be found on CMS Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) listing page, click here and scroll to CMS-R-245.

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CMS Competitive Bidding Program Starts July 1st

Starting on July 1, 2013, Medicare is scheduled to expand the Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) Competitive Bidding Program to some areas in Massachusetts (Boston-Cambridge-Fall River-New Bedford- Quincy- Springfield-Worcester)  This program changes the amount Medicare pays for certain DMEPOS, and makes changes to which suppliers Medicare will pay to supply these items to Medicare beneficiaries.

To find out if a supplier is a contract supplier for the program check on the CMS DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Website for the “Supplier Directory” or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

The eight product categories that are included in this program are:

1. Oxygen, oxygen equipment, and supplies;

2. Standard (power and manual) wheelchairs, scooters, and related accessories;

3. Enteral nutrients, equipment, and supplies;

4. Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) devices, Respiratory Assist Devices (RADs) and related supplies and    accessories;

5. Hospital beds and related accessories;

6. Walkers and related accessories;

7. Support surfaces (Group 2 mattresses and overlays); and

8. Negative Pressure Wound Therapy pumps and related supplies and accessories.

 

For more information, CMS also published a Tip Sheet “What You Should Know if You Need Medicare-covered Equipment or Supplies”

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Home Health & Hospice ODF

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold the next Home Health, Hospice & Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Open Door Forum on Wednesday, June 26th from 2:00pm – 3:00pm, ET. (The agenda has not yet been released)

If you wish to participate, dial 1-800-837-1935; Conference ID: 97842778.

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CMS Releases Hospice Item Set Draft

CMS recently published a  draft version of the Hospice Item Set (HIS) that hospice agencies will be required to collect for patients admitted on or after July 1, 2014.

The HIS has two versions: Admission and Discharge. The admission version needs to be completed within 30 days of admission and CMS estimates that it will take your hospice 19 minutes to gather and input all the information needed to complete. The discharge version of the HIS must be completed within 30 days of discharge and is estimated to take 10 minutes to complete the shorter discharge set.

Information CMS is proposing to collect includes numerous process measures, such as whether the patient was asked about preferences regarding CPR and other life-sustaining treatment, and whether the patient or caregiver was asked about spiritual or existential concerns.

If you have comments concerning the accuracy of the time estimate(s) or suggestions for improving this form, please write to: CMS, 7500 Security Boulevard, Attn: PRA Reports Clearance Officer, Mail Stop C4-26-05, Baltimore, Maryland 21244-1850.

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