Health Law Attorney Blog

Published on: November 12, 2010 | by The Health Law Partners

Hospice Recertification Requirements Under CMS 2011 Home Health Prospective Payment System

In its November 3, 2010 release of the final 2011 Home Health Prospective Payment System (“2011 HHPPS”), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) updated its hospice recertification requirement. Beginning January 1, 2011, the Affordable Care Act requires that physicians and non-physician practitioners attest to a beneficiary’s recertification for hospice eligibility through a documented […]

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Published on: November 12, 2010 | by The Health Law Partners

CMS Released 2011 Final Home Health Prospective Payment System

On November 3, 2010, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (“CMS”) posted its final 2011 Home Health Prospective Payment System (“2011 HHPPS” or the “Final Rule”). According to CMS, “this final rule reflects CMS’ ongoing efforts to improve quality of care provided by home health agencies to Medicare beneficiaries. The rule is intended to […]

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Published on: November 10, 2010 | by The Health Law Partners

RAC Frequently Asked Questions Updated

Following The HLP’s submission of numerous written inquiries and phone calls to representatives of CMS, National Government Services, Inc. (“NGS”) (the Medicare Affiliated Contractor), and CGI (the Medicare RAC for Region B), on November 8, 2010, CMS published a response to Frequently Asked Questions related to RAC reviews of Periodic Interim Payments (“PIP”). As described […]

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Published on: November 9, 2010 | by The Health Law Partners

Medicaid RAC Proposed Rule Issued

On November 10, 2010, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) published its much-anticipated Proposed Rule regarding the Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor (“RAC”) program. Section 6411 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“Affordable Care Act”) requires each State to establish a Medicaid RAC program similar to the existing Medicare RAC program. States […]

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Published on: November 8, 2010 | by The Health Law Partners

Key Updates from the CMS 2011 Final Physician Fee Schedule

CMS’s 2011 Final Physician Fee Schedule (the “Fee Schedule”) provides for over 2000 pages of new rules and regulations pertaining to physician reimbursement under Medicare for 2011. With the passing of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“PPACA”) and the Healthcare and Education Reconciliation Act (collectively referred to as the “Affordable Care Act”), physicians […]

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Published on: November 4, 2010 | by The Health Law Partners

OIG Issues Additional Advisory Opinions on Managing Hospital Sleep Lab

Following upon the heels of September’s first-ever Advisory Opinion on sleep testing, the Office of Inspector General today issued the second and third installments of what appears to be the OIG’s Sleep Opinion Trilogy. These new opinions generally follow the facts of the first opinion – a third party management company provides all of the […]

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Published on: November 3, 2010 | by The Health Law Partners

CMS 2011 Final Physician Fee Schedule: Interim Final Values For Sleep Codes

CMS published its interim final values for sleep testing yesterday, November 2, 2010, as part of Medicare’s Final Part B Physician Fee Schedule for 2011. Although the sleep code values are to be effective January 1, 2011, CMS is offering the public the opportunity to comment on these new sleep medicine values by 5:00 pm […]

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Published on: November 3, 2010 | by The Health Law Partners

2011 CMS Final Physician Fee Schedule Released

The 2011 CMS Final Physician Fee Schedule has been released. Please check back with us for entries regarding specific provisions relevant to our readers! Continue Reading →

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Published on: October 18, 2010 | by The Health Law Partners

OIG 2011 Work Plan: The Medicare Audits and the Appeals Process

With respect to the Medicare appeals process, the OIG plans to review and examine the following: • The timeliness of the Medicare contractors’ determinations on requests for reconsideration at the first level of Medicare appeals as they have 60 days to conclude a redetermination pertaining to a denied claim. • The characteristics of cases brought […]

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Published on: October 15, 2010 | by The Health Law Partners

OIG 2011 Work Plan: Medical Equipment and Supplies

The OIG plans to examine a number of areas pertaining to medical equipment and supplies, including, but not limited to, the following: • The appropriateness of Part B claims in selected geographic areas with high-volume claims and reimbursement for durable medical equipment (DME) suppliers of power mobility devices, hospital beds and accessories, oxygen concentrators, and […]

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