Home Health & Hospice Articles by Topic: Hospice

New oncology guidelines emphasize discussion on hospice treatment

• Homecare E-News, Issue 36, September 25, 2017

  The Journal of Clinical Oncology released guidelines for oncology clinicians to use effective...

What exactly are the regulations for hospice patients who travel in terms of billing?

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 18, September 19, 2017

  From time to time, hospice patients may travel outside of their current hospice provider’s...

Hospice Provider Preview Reports Available

• Homecare E-News, Issue 34, September 11, 2017

  Hospice providers are encouraged to preview their quality measure results based on Quarter 1- 2016...

We use a set of hospice standing orders when a patient is admitted to hospice. How can we show individualization with this, in order to comply with regulations?

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 17, August 31, 2017

  Interpretive Guidelines §418.56(c)(2) state...

Hospice Compare released; hospices must step up efforts on pain assessments

• Homecare E-News, Issue 32, August 21, 2017

  Hospice Compare’s launch Aug. 16 confirms that, for the most part, hospices already perform...

We are a hospice trying to educate our staff on CAHPS. What are some best practices?

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 16, August 17, 2017

  Familiarity with the contents of the CAHPS survey can help hospice staff understand how various...

Homecare Q&A, August 17, 2017

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 16, August 17, 2017

  Homecare Q&A, August 17, 2017

Deadline coming for hospices to submit reconsideration requests if they received noncompliance letters on QRP

• Homecare E-News, Issue 30, August 7, 2017

  Hospices that received letters from CMS indicating they failed to meet the 2016 calendar year...

We are a hospice. What should our response process be to an ADR?

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 15, August 3, 2017

  When a hospice discovers a new ADR, staff should review the time frame for the ADR, assemble...

Hospices affected by Hurricane Matthew can file for exemption for data reporting

• Homecare E-News, Issue 45, November 28, 2016

  Hospices affected by Hurricane Matthew can file for exemption of data reporting Centers for...

Hospice exemption for CAHPS deadline fast approaching; CASPER reports available soon

• Homecare E-News, Issue 45, November 28, 2016

  The exemption form for being exempt from submitted CAHPS data due to small size is due by December...

In Focus: CMS releases memorandum on nursing shortage for hospice

• Homecare E-News, Issue 41, October 31, 2016

  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a memorandum on October 21, 2016...

Weekly Roundup

• Homecare E-News, Issue 40, October 24, 2016

  New communication ruling for home health and hospices takes effect. This week, the Centers...

Our hospice massage therapist was on FMLA for three months (range was 1x?3x per month), and a patient was not seen. Would an ABN or HHCCN need to be initiated?

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 16, August 22, 2016

  This would either require an incident report or, if the patient no longer needed the service, just...

We use ranges on hospice patients. If we have a patient with ranges 1x-3x a month and the patient is only seen 1x that month, do missed visits need to be completed for the other two days the patient was not seen?

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 16, August 22, 2016

  You can use ranges on hospice patients. Missed visits are only needed if the agency does not meet...

Can you clarify the face-to-face deadlines for hospice?

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 15, August 3, 2016

  CMS requires that a physician narrative be included in a patient’s hospice recertification...

Can you explain a bit about CMS? service intensity add-on rule for hospice?

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 15, August 3, 2016

  The two-tiered payment system for RHC compensates providers for the resource-intensive first 60...

Weekly Roundup

• Homecare E-News, Issue 28, July 25, 2016

  In this week's roundup: New HHA PEPPER is now available. A new release of the Program...

Weekly Roundup

• Homecare E-News, Issue 22, June 6, 2016

  In this week's roundup: House members slam home health prior authorization proposal.  A...

In Focus: Senators introduce Compassionate Care Act

• Homecare E-News, Issue 21, May 23, 2016

  United States Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) recently...

Weekly Roundup

• Homecare E-News, Issue 21, May 23, 2016

  In this week's roundup: Overtime laws could change the game for home health: The Department...

Weekly Roundup

• Homecare E-News, Issue 14, April 4, 2016

  Recent investigations by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) have shown a number of instances in...

Weekly Roundup

• Homecare E-News, Issue 12, March 21, 2016

  The CMS Office of Minority Health last week unveiled a snapshot of chronic disease-related service...

In Focus | CMS Releases Hospice Cost Report

• Homecare E-News, Issue 8, February 22, 2016

  The latest version of proposed cost reporting changes for the home health-based hospices...

Weekly roundup

• Homecare E-News, Issue 7, February 15, 2016

  CMS intends to start a Medicare Probable Fraud Measurement Pilot for home healthcare services...

Does the referring physician need to sign the CTI if he is not the attending?

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 2, January 18, 2016

  Does the referring physician need to sign the CTI if he is not the attending?

Free! Hospice Orientation for the Interdisciplinary Team White Paper

• Homecare E-News, Issue 2, January 11, 2016

  According to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, hospice organizations should...

Weekly Roundup

• Homecare E-News, Issue 51, December 28, 2015

  CMS data shows cost disparities in home health services Not unlike hospital procedures and tests...

Weekly Roundup

• Homecare E-News, Issue 44, November 9, 2015

  On Monday, November 2, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Inspector...

The Weekly Roundup

• Homecare E-News, Issue 39, October 5, 2015

  This past Thursday (October 1, 2015), began the live implementation of ICD-10 across the...

Instead of extending the Medicare sequestration into 2024, how do recent legislative proceedings and political reporting suggest Congress intends to fund the reauthorization of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program?

• Homecare Insider, Issue 23, June 15, 2015

  Instead of extending the Medicare sequestration into 2024, how do recent legislative proceedings...

How can we ensure we?re meeting and documenting eligibility requirements effectively?

• Homecare Q&A, Issue 7, April 3, 2015

  Before offering the Medicare Hospice Benefit (MHB) to a beneficiary, the hospice must first verify...

Will home health remain exempt from overtime compensation in most circumstances like it has for 40 years?

• Homecare Insider, Issue 1, January 5, 2015

  Will home health remain exempt from overtime compensation in most circumstances like it has for 40...