Here is some additional information regarding the use of telehealth (visits not in person) for visits.1.  Phone calls used by social workers to arrange for placement of patient (for respite, GIP, long term move to new location), have always been “reportable” on hospice claims.2.  Phone calls by social workers, or any other staff member  to gain/provide information to update the plan of care in between visits are NOT “reportable” on hospice claims.For telehealth visits, please find the link below on what software/apps are allowed, and not allowed, to be used without a potential HIPPA violation.

Click Here for the Information

First, we want to thank you for all your are doing in your communities, and putting yourselves at risk during this time.We’ve had many questions about the use of telehealth visits for hospice staff members, so I’ve reached out to my contacts at Palmetto for confirmation. This is the response:Telehealth visits by physicians for symptom control are “reportable”, ie listed on hospice claims. They report the visit to you, you put on the claim, Medicare pays you, you pay the physician.Telehealth visits by NP and Medical Directors for F2F are  now allowed, but not “reportable”Telehealth visits by any other hospice staff are not “reportable” on the hospice claims.  Therefore, you should NOT use your regular visits in your EMR because they will show on their claim.You will need to set up “non reportable” telehealth visits in your software if you are using telehealth visits for some of your staff. If CMS determines they want reportable, we can track and report later.Remember, as of now, the 14 day RN visit rule to update the plan of care has not been waived.  At least do a telehealth nursing visit and document in your software and update your plan of care. That visit is not reportable.We expect to see alot of the hospice claims coming out with just a few visits on the claim because either alot of visits are not being made by multiple staff members, or the visits are being made via telehealth and not reportable.  Thank you 

Fourth quarter FY 2018 Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Reports (PEPPERs) are available

These reports summarize provider-specific data statistics for Medicare services that may be at risk for improper payments. Use your data to support internal auditing and monitoring activities.

Hospices, LTCHs and free-standing SNFs and IRFs: For instructions on obtaining your PEPPER, see the Secure PEPPER Access Guide

For More Information:

Visit the PEPPER Resources website (https://pepper.cbrpepper.org/) for guides, recorded training sessions, QualityNet account information, frequently asked questions, and examples of how other hospitals are using the report

Visit the Help Desk if you have questions or need help obtaining your report

To improve upon the freeze date policy and ensure that Hospice Compare is an accurate and consistent representation of hospice quality, CMS instituted a 4.5 month data correction deadline for public reporting in the FY 2019 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements (82 FR 38638-38640). Under this new policy, beginning January 1, 2019, providers will have approximately 4.5 months following the end of each calendar year (CY) quarter to review and correct their HIS records with target dates in that quarter for public reporting. After this 4.5 month data correction deadline has passed, HIS data from that CY quarter will be permanently frozen for the purposes of public reporting. Updates made after the correction deadline will not appear in any subsequent Hospice Compare refresh.

For more information about this policy, please refer to the Public Reporting: Key Dates for Providers webpage  https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/Hospice-Quality-Reporting/Public-Reporting-Key-Dates-for-Providers.html and the new 4.5 Month Data Correction Deadline for Public Reporting Fact Sheet posted in the Downloads section of the page.

From Hospice News Today 02.10.18

PRNewswire (American Academy of PAs)

February 9, 2018

This morning, Congress passed and President Trump signed into law two improvements to Medicare that represent significant victories for PAs and the patients they serve. The first improvement will allow PAs to manage and provide hospice care to terminally-ill Medicare patients; another will allow PAs to supervise cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs under the Medicare program. Specifically, the new law modernizes outdated Medicare law with language specific to PAs in the Medicare Patient Access to Hospice Act. “Literally hundreds of PAs have made the case to members of Congress about the necessity to eliminate the unwarranted restrictions which have prevented PAs from providing hospice care to their Medicare patients. Too many PAs have patients that have been under their care for years who have been forced to choose between continued care and hospice,” said L. Gail Curtis, PA-C, MPAS, DFAAPA, president and chair of AAPA’s Board of Directors. “This new law will empower PAs to offer continuity of care at a time when patients and their families are most vulnerable.”