In the News: ICD 10 Implementation Compliance

A new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website is up and operational.  It is the ICD-10 website http://www.cms.gov/ICD10/01_Overview.asp.  This website is designed to assist health care providers change over from the current International Classification of Diseases [ICD] -9 to the ICD-10 medical diagnosis and inpatient procedure coding system.

In the News: CMS Final Rules, Comment Periods and Implementation Dates

As a follow-up to the May News Update, providers are increasing their efforts to have their voices heard regarding the requirement for physicians to enroll in the Provider Enrollment, Chain, and Ownership System [PECOS] database. The Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System is the system that physicians and other practitioners are required to enroll in, in order that their patients can continue to receive HH and DMEPOS Medicare-reimbursed services.

In the News: Federal Home Health and Hospice Action Initiatives
It is important that home health and hospice providers monitor legislative and regulatory initiatives that have the potential to impact their operations.  There are numerous such legislative and regulatory initiatives.  Home health and hospice providers are encouraged to address their concerns and desires to their legislators in addition to the ongoing monitoring of the legislative and regulatory process.

In the News: Physician and Health Care Professional Enrollment
Recently the interim final rule regarding the need for health care professionals and physicians ordering or referring patients for services or covered items to enroll in the National Provider Identifiers [NPIs] process was released.  While at first glance the health care professional and physician enrollment requirement might not appear to be of concern to DMEPOS, home health and hospice providers, it does in fact impact their claims submission and billing process.

In the News: CMS Updates
Recently CMS updated its website’s Hospice Questions and Answers section. There were revisions and updates to previously listed Questions and Answers, and the following highlights examples of questions revised or newly listed.

In the News: Food and Drug Administration Recalls and Safety Alerts
Recent past safety and recall alerts have identified a number of commonly prescribed medications as being problematic to consumers.  Examples of these commonly prescribed medications noted in the recent safety, labeling and recall alerts include asthma and COPD inhalers, Plavix, Zocor, Avandia and Zuprexa [adolescents].  The product recall process is a lengthy one, in which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) progresses.  As the process continues it can lead up several actions, including a recall or safety alert. 

In the News:  Family Caregivers Study and Resources
Free resources and tools are now available through CHAMP [Collaboration for Homecare Advances in Management and Practice]’s website, www.champ-program.org.  This organization is a national initiative designed to advance older persons’ home care excellence.  It is housed at the Center for Home Care Policy and Research at the Visiting Nurse Services of New York.

In the News:  Medicare Provider Satisfaction Survey [MCPSS] Underway
The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003 mandates the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services [CMS] to develop performance measurements for its contractors.  These measures are to be quantifiable and measured via customer feedback.  Included in this mandate is that the health care provider’s satisfaction of Medicare contractor’s services be determined and measured.  As a result CMS conducts an annual health care provider survey relative to its Medicare Fee for Service [FFS] contractors responsible for processing and paying of its Medicare claims.

In the News: Influenza and Swine Flu Vaccination Program Update
This year there are two different flu immunizations recommended for individuals, including individuals over the age of 65. And once again this season has arrived, and there are delays in the shipment of the injectable and FluMist vaccines; but it is anticipated that adequate supplies will be available. Most individuals are familiar with the annual influenza vaccine and already know where they will go to receive their annual influenza immunization. Some individuals participate in clinics held in the community, while others obtain an annual influenza immunization from their primary care physician.

In the News: Electronic Medical Records: Surveyor Guidelines Issued
The protection of confidentiality is a key concern relative to the use of Electronic Health Records [EHRs] and as a result, concurrent with the continued focus on confidentiality is the push to increase the use of electronic medical records. One of the more recent releases by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services [CMS] described the approach for its surveyors to follow when electronic health records are in use at the site being surveyed.

In the News: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Appeals Revisions
The Medicare, Medicaid and State Children's Health Insurance Program [SCHIP] Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (BIPA) impacted the Medicare claim appeals process. As a result of BIPA, Section 1869 (c) of the Social Security Act (the Act), was also amended. These Acts and their impacts in turn required changes to the 42 Code of Federal Regulations in relationship to the appeals process. CMS recently released a memorandum focused on the revisions and changes made in order to meet 42 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Parts 401 and 405, Medicare program requirements. This newly released memorandum addresses changes made to comply with the changes detailed in the Medicare Claims Appeals Procedures; Interim Final Rule (IFR). This lengthy memorandum contained multiple updates, including glossary additions and revisions, as well as revisions to the existing appeals process.

In the News: U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Activities and Alerts
This has been an active time for FDA alerts that have widespread applications for consumers, including those in community-based provider settings. One critical alert is the announcement regarding tainted skin sanitizer products. The Clarcon Biological Chemistry Laboratory’s products were those recalled. This lab recalled a long list of products in conjunction with the FDA and CMS alert. This alert also recommended disposal of these products, as these products were found to have high levels of disease-causing bacteria.

In the News: White House Office of Health Reform Established
Hospice and home care providers are aware that Health Care Reform is a top priority for the new administration in the White House. This increased scrutiny and priority raises concerns regarding reimbursement and coverage changes. While the White House appointments to the post of Secretary of Health and Human Services has run into some glitches, i.e., former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle’s nomination ran into difficulty in the Senate hearings and led to his eventual withdrawal of his name from consideration, the movement towards health care reform is still progressing.

In the News: 'Red Flag' Rule
When the Federal Register printed this rule in late 2007, hospice, home and community care providers might not have given it a second glance. Now as the implementation date for this component of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions (FACT) Act of 2003 is close, it has come to light that this requirement will impact hospice, home and community care providers.