Category: Uncategorized

Reminder- “Home Health and Hospice ODF” – Wednesday, January 9th

The next Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time (ET).

Proposed Agenda

1. Proposal to discontinue the Home Health Advance Beneficiary Notice (HHABN), Form CMS-R-296, and replace the HHABN with a new Home Health Change of Care Notice (HHCCN), Form CMS-10280, and the existing Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN), Form CMS-R-131.

2. HHCAPS

3. Home Health Study regarding Access to Care

4. Home Health & Hospice Quality Reporting Update

5. Retroactive Grouper Change for Basel Cell, Squamous Cell, and Unspecified Malignant Cancers for Home Health Services Rendered October 1, 2011 through December 31, 2012

6. Update to OASIS Web-Based Training at: http://surveyortraining.cms.hhs.gov , Addition of Module, OASIS C Online Training: Patient Tracking Domain

7. Flu Vaccination Announcement

8.  Open Q&A

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Dial: 1-800-837-1935 & Reference Conference ID: 78868196.

The audio recording of this call that can be accessed by dialing 1-855-859-2056 and entering the Conference ID beginning 2 hours after the call has ended. The recording expires after 2 business days

Encore: 1-855-859-2056; Conference ID: 78868196

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

The Joint Commission Releases 2013 National Safety Goals

The Joint Commission recently released their 2013 Home Care National Patient Safety Goals. The goals were originally established in 2002 to help accredited healthcare organizations address patient safety concerns. The goals focus on problems in health care safety and how to solve them. They are developed and updated by the Patient Safety Advisory Group, made up of healthcare professionals with hands-on experience in addressing patient safety issues.

Home Care Safety Goals

  • Improve the accuracy of patient identification.
  • Improve the safety of using medications.
  • Reduce the risk of health care–associated infections.
  • Reduce the risk of patient harm resulting from falls.
  • The organization identifies safety risks inherent in its patient population.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Special ODF for Hospice Providers

CMS is hosting a Special Open Door Forum for all hospice providers on December 19 from 1-2 pm EST. The Special ODF will present information about the Hospice Quality Reporting Program

Agenda Topics will include:

  • Updates about the upcoming availability of the data submission website
  • Information about how to access the data submission website and create a user account
  • Details about the data submission process
  • Question and Answer session
The Participant Dial in is: 1-800-837-1935
The Conference ID: 81540883

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Hospice Quality Reporting WebEx Now Available –Posted 12/5/2012

CMS’ Hospice Quality Reporting Program (QRP) on data entry and submission WebEx training  is now available online.  Hospice providers can view the WebEx at their convenience; no registration is required. It will remain available until April 2013. The training will help hospices prepare for web-based data entry and submission of quality data affecting the FY 2014 reimbursement rates.

The Hospice QRP Data Entry and Submission WebEx addresses how to:

  • Access the Hospice Quality Reporting Program Data Entry and Submission link
  • Register your Hospice Provider and User Account
  • Navigate the Structural Measure data entry, attestation and submission
  • Navigate the NQF #0209 Pain Measure data entry, attestation and submission
  • Access Clinical and Technical Help Desk Support

To meet the hospice quality reporting requirements in order to qualify for full payment of Medicare rates in FY 2014, hospices must submit two measures: the Structural/QAPI measure and the NQF #0209 measure. Reporting of the structural measure may begin Jan. 1, 2013, and must be completed by Jan. 31, 2013, while reporting of data on the pain measure (NQF 0209) must be completed by April 1, 2013.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

CMS’ Open Door Forum-Encore recording

Did you miss CMS’ Open Door Forum (ODF) yesterday? You still have the ability to listen to the Encore recording by dialing 1-855-859-2056 and entering the Conference ID 72193272. The recording expires after 3 business days.

Agenda for ODF

I. Opening Remarks

II. Announcements & Updates

1. Open Enrollment Announcement

2. Flu Vaccination Announcement

3. Home Health PPS – Effective Date of Therapy Provisions

4. Incorrect Patient Status Codes on Hospice Claims

5. HHCAPS

6. DMEPOS Competitive Bidding

7. Update to OASIS web-based training at: http://surveyortraining.cms.hhs.gov, addition of module, OASIS C Online Training: Patient Tracking Domain

lII. Open Q&A

 **Mark your calendars**Next ODF: Wednesday, January 9, 2013**

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

CMS Releases New MLN Article

On November 26th, CMS released the Medicare Learning Network  Article- (SE1237) Importance of Preparing/Maintaining Legible Medical Records. This article highlights the importance of legible documentation in avoiding claim denials. The key points highlighted:

  1. General Principles of Medical Record Documentation
  2. Medicare Signature requirements
  3. Amendments, Corrections and Delayed Entries

If you are looking for more facts on amendments, corrections and delayed entries see the Medicare Program Integrity Manual Section 3.3.2.5. The MLN article, Complying with Medicare Signature Requirements, provides a question and answer format for information on signature regulations

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Hospice WebEx Training on Data Submission — Taken Offline

CMS put out notification last week that the WebEx training related to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) was available online.  It was available for a BRIEF time on Wednesday night and Thursday; the WebEx training is temporarily unavailable due to technical issues.  Only the Technical User Guide is available on the website. The contractor is working to correct the issues and will get the training and manual back up as quickly as possible.  The HCA will keep you updated.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Hospice Quality Reporting WebEx Now Available

Looking for more information about the new requirements for Hospice Quality Reporting?

The CMS WebEx training module on data submission for the Hospice Quality Reporting Program is now available online.  It will remain available until April 2013. The training will help hospices prepare for web-based data entry and submission of quality data affecting the FY 2014 reimbursement rates.

To meet the hospice quality reporting requirements in order to qualify for full payment of Medicare rates in FY 2014, hospices must submit two measures: the Structural/QAPI measure and the NQF #0209 measure. Reporting of the structural measure may begin Jan. 1, 2013, and must be completed by Jan. 31, 2013, while reporting of data on the pain measure (NQF 0209) must be completed by April 1, 2013.

For more information visit Spotlight and Announcements on the Hospice Quality Reporting website.

How Home Care Helps During Disasters

ABC News has some tremendous footage of home care agencies, the National Guard, and other first responders doing what they do best: caring for their clients, no matter the circumstances.

Our thoughts and prayers go to all those affected by Hurricane Sandy.

New OASIS Guidance from CMS

CMS has just released the latest guidance for OASIS, October 2012 Quarterly Q&As.  This quarterly update contains 11 new Q&As including the latest CMS OASIS-C guidance with a special item about selecting fall risk assessment tools based on standardization, validation and multi-factor requirements.Other highlighted items:

  • situations where the physician-ordered ROC date is outside the assessment time frame
  • selecting a response for patient confusion when confusion level varies
  • how/when bipolar disease and other psychiatric diagnoses might impact the depression process measure.