If you have had a loved one suffer from dementia, you know the emotional, physical, and financial toll of this terrible disease. With advancements in dementia treatment, however, there is renewed hope on addressing this disease and increasing emphasis on fostering innovative care models.
Health Law Scan
Legal Insights and Perspectives for the Healthcare Industry
The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced on June 15, 2023 that it plans to initiate a new audit of Medicare payments for hospice general inpatient (GIP) services, focused on hospice GIP services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries who were discharged directly to hospice GIP care from an acute hospital stay.
COVID-19 significantly affected home-based care providers, such as home health agencies (HHAs) and hospices, whose staff had to overcome both physical and mental burdens of going into patients’ homes to deliver care, especially in the days before a COVID-19 vaccine. While these providers benefitted from a number of Medicare program regulatory flexibilities during the public health emergency (PHE), virtually all of those will sunset on May 11, 2023.
A notable headline from the August 12 MLN Connects Newsletter for healthcare providers states “CMS Resumes Targeted Probe & Educate Program.” Designed to help providers reduce claim denials and appeals, CMS suspended prepayment reviews under the Targeted Probe and Educate (TPE) program in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) in March 2020. But unlike post-payment audits which have been active since CMS authorized its contractors to begin new audits in August 2020, TPE prepay reviews remained on hold.
Members of our financial services and banking teams recently published a LawFlash discussing the Biden administration’s recent changes to the Paycheck Protection Program aimed at providing greater access to funds for small businesses in need and in underserved communities. The LawFlash highlights key provisions and guidance for businesses seeking to participate in the program before it officially expires on March 31, 2021 (pending any additional legislation from Congress).
Imagine you are the primary caretaker for your 94-year-old terminally ill mother who lives in your home while under hospice care during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a statement on March 9 related to actions the agency is taking to protect the health and safety of patients and providers. CMS urges providers to stay abreast of CDC guidance on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC), which advises Congress on Medicare issues, recently finalized and approved a series of recommended updates on January 16 that include payment reductions for hospice and home health.