The 4th Annual Older Adult Mental Health Awareness Day (OAMHAD) SYMPOSIUM

Thursday, May 6th, 2021 | 8AM – 3:15PM MT

This event is designed as a public discussion on the topics of mental health and aging, specifically related to the prevention, treatment, and recovery support options and solutions for older adults with mental health or substance use disorders. Registration is free: https://connect.ncoa.org/oamhad

Changes in the Hospice Item Set (HIS) Manual V3.00:  What you need to know!

April 15^th, 2021 (12:00 – 1:30 p.m. MT)

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting a webinar to provide a general overview of the changes included in the Hospice Item Set (HIS) Manual V3.00. Specific topics include:

• The Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) Requirements.
• Changes in Hospice Item Set (HIS) Manual V3.00.
• The data sources that will comprise the HQRP.
• The new quality measure (QM) created from administrative data (Medicare claims).
• HQRP resources.

Please register only if you know you will be able to attend the webinar, as space is limited. If you would like your name placed on a list to receive an email notification when the recorded version of the webinar is available, please CLICK HERE to be placed on an email notification list.

CLICK HERE to register for the Changes in the Hospice Item Set (HIS) Manual V3.00 Webinar.

New FAQ Document Posted for the Hospice Benefit Component of the Value-Based Insurance Design Model

The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (Innovation Center) has announced a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document as an additional resource for the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model’s Hospice Benefit Component. This FAQ document can be found on the Model website and provides answers to questions on claims and billing, networks and contracting, appeals and grievances, and other topics related to the Hospice Benefit Component.

The FAQ document is an addition to other resources on the Hospice Benefit Component, including:

• Hospice provider-friendly webpages with details on coverage, claims and billing, and participating plans found here
• Hospice Provider Checklist found here
• Calendar Year (CY) 2021 VBID-Hospice Benefit Component Technical and Operational Guidance found here
• VBID-Hospice Benefit Component Technical Support webinar sessions, with recordings, slides, and transcripts here
• CY 2021 VBID-Hospice Benefit Component Monitoring Guidelines here

We encourage you to monitor the VBID Model webpage for future updates. Please contact our help desk with any questions/comments at [email protected].

For background, the Hospice Benefit Component of the VBID Model is testing the impact on quality and program expenditures of incorporating the Medicare Part A hospice benefit into the Medicare Advantage (MA) program for Part A and Part B services, with the goal of creating a seamless continuum of care. In voluntarily participating in this Model Component, MA Organizations are incorporating the Medicare hospice benefit into MA covered benefits while offering comprehensive palliative care services outside the hospice benefit for enrollees with serious illness.

What Home Health Providers Need to Know About Medicare Loan Recoupment

Home Health Care News
By Joyce Famakinwa | March 30, 2021
 
It has been six months since the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) gave home health agencies and other Medicare providers a reprieve from having to pay back advance and accelerated payment loans.
 
But recoupment for these loans is just around the corner. To avoid future financial headaches, providers must be prepared to navigate this process from start to finish...

Read Full Article