The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed delaying the implementation date for the new home health Conditions of Participation (CoPs) until January 2018. The proposal comes after home health industry associations and providers pushed back against the original implementation timeline for the CoPs, which were finalized in early January 2017. Instead of Read more about CMS Proposes Six-Month Delay for Home Health CoPs[…]
WASHINGTON – CMS has instructed the DME MACs to accept timely orders and medical documentation whether they come from a beneficiary’s treating physician or a transferring HME provider. The change is a big deal for providers in competitive bidding areas, where transfers of beneficiaries from non-contract to contract providers are common. “Industry (has) suggested that Read more about HME News: CMS eases requirements for changing providers[…]
CMS announced a call to discuss the non-CB impact of CURES with stakeholders on Thursday, 3/23 at 2p Eastern. According to the CMN announcement, CURES mandates Stakeholder input on the methodology for using information from the DMEPOS Competitve bidding program for adjusting Medicare fee schedule amounts paid in non-CB areas. Learn about new legislation and provide Read more about Register Now: CMS Stakeholder Input Call for DMEPOS Non-CBA[…]
With no time to lose, HME industry stakeholders are ready for another run at the competitive bidding program. Legislation in the works by Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., would delay the next round of cuts for nine to 12 months, depending on the CBO score. “This proposal is fresh and new,” said Jay Witter, senior vice Read more about HME News: New bid bill will drop soon[…]
Plaintiffs’ counsel in Jimmo v. Sebelius was back in court Tuesday to file a motion that would force the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to adhere to the settlement of the landmark lawsuit. The case involved Medicare beneficiary Glenda Jimmo, who was denied coverage for treatment of her chronic, diabetes-related conditions because she was Read more about Jimmo plaintiffs complain in court that CMS still using ‘improvement standard,’ despite landmark settlement[…]
A new federal proposal would slash over payments made to Medicare Advantage plans sponsored by employers and unions years after an advisory board recommended the policy. The CMS proposed terminating the bidding process for employers and unions that offer 2017 Medicare Advantage plans to their retirees. The policy was included in the recent 228-page Medicare Read more about Medicare to cut payments to employer-sponsored Advantage plans[…]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced changes Friday to its often-critiqued five-star rating system for nursing home quality, changes that are likely to negatively affect the ratings for thousands of facilities. Among the adjustments: the agency is altering how it calculates the staffing figures that are one component of the all-encompassing quality Read more about Feds announce changes in nursing home rating system[…]
CMS has proposed a very small decrease in payments to Medicare Advantage plans for 2016, the agency announced Feb. 20. CMS says it wants to pay private insurers 0.95% less next year. When more intensive services are factored in, however, the agency says it expects overall payments to increase about 1.05%. “The proposed rates will Read more about HME News: CMS holds steady on Medicare Advantage[…]