How Home Health Providers Can Avoid Payment Denials

Home Health Care News / By Joyce Famakinwa

Payment denials can be costly and time consuming for home health providers, and they’re often self-inflicted. 
 
In order to avoid this all together, home health leaders should educate themselves on the common reasons behind denials, and also adopt documentation techniques that will help their organizations stay compliant with Medicare’s coverage criteria.
 
That was the main takeaway of a recent webinar hosted by WellSky, an Overland Park, Kansas-based company that utilizes software and analytics to help providers across the continuum achieve better outcomes at lower costs.
 
One of the most prevalent claims errors is not including the signature of a certifying physician. Documentation not meeting medical necessity is another top claims error that providers make. 
 
Other common claims errors include encounter notes that don’t support all elements of eligibility, and missing or incomplete certifications or recertification documents.
 
“If you get a SMRC, or a supplemental Medical Review contractor, request for additional information, and you don’t comply … they will notify your Medicare Administrative Contractor. That can initiate claim adjustments and/or overpayment recoupment actions through their standard recovery process,” Beth Noyce, of Noyce Consulting, said during the webinar presentation. 
 
Providers are able to appeal, but this can be a lengthy and cumbersome process.
Noyce noted that providers looking to find the home health coverage and documentation requirements, in order to stay on the right side of compliance rules, should be aware that all of the information is available to the public.
 
“All of the things are published, everything’s available to you without having to spend a dime of extra money, and it’s all in the public domain,” she said. 

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