US House Passes Important Hospice Bill
The House of Representatives has passed the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA). The bill will now move on to the Senate. PCHETA would increase the number …
Insights and News
2019 HIRD Reporting Requirement for Massachusetts Employers
Massachusetts state law requires every employer with six or more employees to annually submit a HIRD (Health Insurance Responsibility Disclosure) form. If you are an employer who currently has (or …
Health Plan Identifier Final Rule Release
HHS has announced a new rule, eliminating several regulatory requirements related to HIPAA. Health plans are no longer required to obtain and use a health plan identifier (HPID) and eliminates the …
Important Update: RAP Overpayment Demand Letters!
IMPORTANT INFORMATION FROM PALMETTO FOR HOME HEALTH PROVIDERS: “As of October 1, 2019, due to the implementation of CR 10776, Home Health Agencies (HHAs) may have received a demand letter …
CMS Delays Primary Care First Until 2021
CMS has delayed the start of Primary Care First Until 2021. The program was originally scheduled to begin next year. Primary Care First is a set of voluntary five-year payment model …
OIG: Nursing Home Complaints Increased in 2018
OIG has published an interactive map that displays details on nursing home complaint trends in 2018. 6,540 high-priority grievances that were not investigated within the required 10-day period, which equals a 23% increase. …
Review Choice Demonstration for Texas is Delayed Until March 2, 2020
From CMS’ Review Choice Demonstration website: To allow Home Health agencies to transition to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), which becomes effective on January 1, 2020, CMS is rescheduling the …
Healthcare.gov Premiums Are Down, but Are Still Unaffordable for Many
CMS announced that the average premium for the second lowest cost silver plan on HealthCare.gov for a 27 year-old will drop by 4 percent for the 2020 coverage year. Additionally, …
Medicare Advantage Plans Ramp Up Marketing for Supplemental Benefits
Medicare Advantage enrollment has begun. Plans are taking advantage of the option to offer supplemental benefits to consumers. These benefits will likely be a significant source of growth as more …
Medicare and Medicaid Payment Cuts Reach a Tipping Point for Hospitals
Reductions in federal payments to hospitals will total $252.6 billion from 2010 through 2029, reflecting the impact of a series of legislative and regulatory actions, according to a new study …