CMS published a final rule on February 2, 2016 to implement statutory requirements regarding documentation of face-to-face encounters with Medicaid beneficiaries within certain timeframes as a condition of Medicaid coverage of home health services and certain medical equipment. The rule also makes several clarifications to Medicaid policies related to coverage of home health services, including medical supplies furnished under this benefit.
Continue Reading CMS Finalizes Medicaid Home Health and Medical Equipment Policy Changes, Including Face-to-Face Encounter Requirements
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Congressional Health Policy Hearings
By Debra A. McCurdy on
A number of recent Congressional hearings have focused on health policy issues, including the following:
Continue Reading Congressional Health Policy Hearings
CMS Seeks Feedback on Home Health Face-to-Face Encounter Clinical Templates
By Debra A. McCurdy on
CMS is inviting comments on voluntary home health electronic and paper “progress note” templates intended to assist physicians with documenting a face-to-face examination for purposes of the Medicare home health benefit. Comments on the templates will be accepted until October 13, 2015.
CMS Proposes 0.3% Cut in Medicare Home Health PPS Rates for CY 2015
By Debra A. McCurdy on
Today CMS released its proposed rule to update Medicare home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) rates for CY 2015. CMS estimates that the rule would reduce Medicare payments to home health agencies by approximately $58 million (-0.3%) in 2015 compared to 2014 levels. Specifically, while CMS anticipates a 2.2% home health payment update percentage…
No CMS DME Face-to-Face Rule Enforcement Before 2014
By Debra A. McCurdy on
CMS has pushed back indefinitely enforcement of an Affordable Care Act (ACA) provision requiring a face-to-face encounter as a condition of Medicare payment for certain durable medical equipment (DME) items. By way of background, under CMS rules implementing section 6407 of the ACA, as a condition of payment for specified items of DME, a physician…
CMS Delays DME Face-to-Face Requirement until Oct. 1, 2013
By Debra A. McCurdy on
CMS has just announced that it is delaying enforcement of an Affordable Care Act provision requiring a face-to-face encounter as a condition of Medicare payment for certain durable medical equipment (DME) items from July 1, 2013 to October 1, 2013. Under the regulations implementing the face-to-face requirement, a physician must have documented and communicated…
CMS Adopts Face-to-Face Encounter Requirement for Medicare DME Orders
By Debra A. McCurdy on
As part of CMS’s Medicare physician fee schedule rule, CMS is implementing an ACA provision requiring a face-to-face encounter as a condition of Medicare payment for certain DME items. CMS has made a number of modifications to the final policy in response to comments on the proposed rule. Under the final rule, CMS is expanding…