Our Take

Bulletin Format Update!

SECOND REMINDER!

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Hi everyone!  You will notice that there are quite a few changes with the bulletin this week!

We have been thinking of ways to streamline the bulletin so that you can see all that we have to offer without getting overwhelmed by a giant email!  So here are some of the changes we’ve made:

• Bulletins will now be archived! Just sign into the member portal, look at the menu on the left (on a PC or below on a mobile device) and you will start to see archived bulletins for easy access!
• The email will be HIGHLIGHTS of the Bulletin- more like an index.  The emails will start to get shorter and easier to read.
• The Bulletin will be posted EVERY Tuesday around 4 PM, so you can go to ochch.org and check it out whether you get the email or not!
• To Read the full bulletin, go to the member portal and log in. http://members.ochch.org/ 
  • The bulletin will be on the menu on the left (or down below on a mobile device).  This is where you will find the full content of the bulletin every week!  We will be reminding you of this every week!
• If you are NOT a member, this is a great reason to become one! https://members.ochch.org/assoc_subscribe.asp

• HOSPICE: Non-Cancer Length of Stay (NCLOS) Rates
• HOSPICE: Medicaid Timely Filing, Medicaid List Serve, November 1, 2019
• HOME HEALTH: What the 2020 Medicare Home Health Final Rule Means, NAHC Report, November 6, 2019
• HOME HEALTH and HOSPICE: CMS to Shutter Common Working File for Eligibility Queries Effective February 1, 2020, NAHC Report, November 7, 2019

ANNOUNCEMENT: OCHCH Weekly RCD Conference Calls

OCHCH Members: Thank you very much for participating in OCHCH’s November 8^th RCD WEEKLY CALL!

OCHCH recently launched an awareness campaign to provide your agency with the assistance, information, resources, and training you need to tackle the challenges of RCD and PDGM. This campaign is called OPERATION: tackle.

As part of OPERATION: tackle we are hosting weekly conference calls on RCD that started on October 25th and will continue for the foreseeable future. These conference calls will provide an opportunity for us to share the latest developments of RCD, for you to share your challenges, and for our members to share best practices in a real time environment. On the November 8th call you heard Beth Foster sharing the top issues/questions from the November 6, 2019 Palmetto GBA RCD Monthly Provider Teleconference. Also, the OCHCH team answered your questions!

Friday afternoon, November 8th, the following information was shared on the Listserv as follow-up to the weekly OCHCH RCD Call:

• The following webcasts are hosted by the MACs:
  Home Health Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) Webcast Part One: November 21, 2019This is the first of two collaborative webcasts about the Home Health Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), hosted by your Home Health Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), CGS, National Government Services and Palmetto GBA. This presentation will begin on Thursday, November 21, 2019 at 02:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. During this webcast, you will receive information to help your agency prepare to implement billing changes for the PDGM on January 1, 2020. PDGM is the Medicare payment model used to reimburse home health agencies. Please plan to attend.

  Home Health Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) Webcast Part Two: December 5, 2019 

  This is second part of two collaborative webcasts about the Home Health Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), hosted by your Home Health Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs), CGS, National Government Services and Palmetto GBA. This presentation will begin on Thursday, December 05, 2019 at 02:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. During this webcast, you will receive information to help your agency prepare to implement clinical changes for the PDGM on January 1, 2020. PDGM is the Medicare payment model used to reimburse home health agencies. Please plan to attend.

HOSPICE: Initial Assessment

Question:   We have a SNF asking us to admit a patient prior to being sent home on hospice services on the same day of planned discharge. They have requested this in the past and we have declined to admit until the patient is home based on the standard below. I feel the facility is asking us to admit the morning of discharge so we would then be responsible for the transportation. They state that hospice companies do it “all the time” so I wanted to make sure we are reading the standard correctly and not taking it out of context.

Any insight on this?

From the State Operations Manual, Appendix M, Guidance to Surveyors-Hospice:

• 418.54(a) Standard: Initial assessment

The hospice registered nurse must complete an initial assessment within 48 hours after the election of hospice care in accordance with §418.24 is complete (unless the physician, patient, or representative requests that the initial assessment be completed in less than 48 hours.)

• HOME HEALTH and HOSPICE: New Medicare Card: HICN
• HOSPICE: Reminder–Physician Assistants as Hospice Attending Physician, Forum of States List Serve, November 1, 2019
• Hospice: Senator Rosen: Remove Barriers to Hospice, Palliative Care, Hospice News, November 6, 2019
• HOME HEALTH and HOSPICE: 2^ND REMINDER – OAHP & MyCare Ohio Plans Long-Term Care Provider Survey, OAHP
• HOME HEALTH and HOSPICE: 2^ND REMINDER – CMS Pushes Effort to Curb Medicare Fraud, NAHC Report, October 25, 2019
• HOME HEALTH and HOSPICE: Home Health and Hospice Agencies – In the November 5th Bulletin we had an article that promoted a partnership with Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG) to join CMS’ new initiative, Healthy Communities
• HOSPICE and HOME HEALTH: HIPAA Eligibility Transaction System (HETS) Medicare Secondary Payer (MSP) Information, Palmetto GBA
• HOSPICE and HOME HEALTH: ePass is Available to Ease the Burden of Repeated Authentication When Calling Palmetto GBA’s Provider Contact Center, Palmetto GBA
• HOME HEALTH: Local Coverage Determination (LCD) and Medical Coverage Database (MCD) Article Updates, Palmetto GBA
• HOSPICE and HOME HEALTH: Hospice and Home Health Claims Processing Issues Log, Palmetto GBA

• HOSPICE: Emmanuel Hospice Unveils Virtual Reality Program, Hospice News, November 6, 2019