Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021
CMS Releases Report on Hospice Special Focus Program
As part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA), Congress enacted significant changes to the hospice survey process, including creation of a Special Focus Program (SFP) for poor performing hospice providers. In the CY 2022 home health final rule the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued final rules governing the survey reforms […]
Read MoreFY2023 Hospice Medicare and Medicaid Base Rates at a Glance
–Hospice Medicare FY2023 Pricer Now Available Beginning October 1, 2022, hospice base payment rates will increase by 3.8 percent, as published in the final FY2023 Hospice Payment Rule. As is customary, the Medicaid program waits until Medicare rates are finalized to issue guidance on the applicable corresponding hospice payment rates. The Centers for Medicare & […]
Read MoreNAHC Board Chair Selected for Hospice Special Focus Program TEP
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 required the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement various hospice survey reforms. In the CY 2022 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) final rule, CMS addressed these reforms, including development of a Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP). NAHC was one of the stakeholders at the time […]
Read MoreRoadmap for the End of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
On August 18, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued extensive materials providing guidance related to the planned phase-out of various waivers, regulations, enforcement discretion, and sub-regulatory guidance that were utilized to ensure access to care and give health care providers the flexibilities needed to respond to COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). […]
Read MoreBipartisan Push in Congress to Make Medicare Enrollment Easier
Legislation has recently been introduced that would work to improve the Medicare enrollment process for individuals nearing Medicare eligibility, aged 60-64. Longtime home care champions Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Todd Young (R-IN) are leading the charge for the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification 2.0 (BENES 2.0) Act, (S. 2675). BENES 2.0 continues the theme of […]
Read MoreBipartisan Push in Congress to Make Medicare Enrollment Easier
Legislation has recently been introduced that would work to improve the Medicare enrollment process for individuals nearing Medicare eligibility, aged 60-64. Longtime home care champions Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Todd Young (R-IN) are leading the charge for the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification 2.0 (BENES 2.0) Act, (S. 2675). BENES 2.0 continues the […]
Read MoreBipartisan Push in Congress to Make Medicare Enrollment Easier
Legislation has recently been introduced that would work to improve the Medicare enrollment process for individuals nearing Medicare eligibility, aged 60-64. Longtime home care champions Senators Bob Casey (D-PA) and Todd Young (R-IN) are leading the charge for the Beneficiary Enrollment Notification and Eligibility Simplification 2.0 (BENES 2.0) Act, (S. 2675). BENES 2.0 continues the theme of […]
Read MoreHHS Financial Report for 2021 Identifies Increases in Hospice Payment Error Rates
Increases not “statistically significant”, according to HHS On an annual basis, the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) issues a financial report that provides fiscal and high-level performance results that allow for the assessment of HHS’ performance over the previous fiscal year. Last week HHS issued its FY2021 HHS Agency Financial Report (Report) containing an overview […]
Read MoreHHS Financial Report for 2021 Identifies Increases in Home Health, Hospice Payment Error Rates
Increases not “statistically significant”, according to HHS On an annual basis, the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) issues a financial report that provides fiscal and high-level performance results that allow for the assessment of HHS’ performance over the previous fiscal year. Last week HHS issued its FY2021 HHS Agency Financial Report (Report) containing […]
Read MoreCMS Updates Benefit Policy Manual to Provide Hospice Clarifications
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated Chapter 9 of the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual to provide clarification for two hospice items: Election statement addendum Aggregate cap calculation methodology The clarifications are welcome especially for the election statement addendum. Since its implementation last year hospices have been asking for more information about […]
Read MoreCMS Updates Benefit Policy Manual to Provide Hospice Clarifications
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated Chapter 9 of the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual to provide clarification for two hospice items: Election statement addendum Aggregate cap calculation methodology The clarifications are welcome especially for the election statement addendum. Since its implementation last year hospices have been asking for more information about […]
Read MoreCMS Compliance Monitoring of Some Hospice Reforms Limited Until After Proposed Rule
The sweeping changes to the hospice survey program enacted by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 (CAA 2021) in late 2020 have various implementation dates, ranging from immediate, to October 1st of this year, to future dates, but the ability of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Servicse (CMS) to conduct compliance monitoring activities for these provisions will […]
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