Articles and Blogs

Please find below the frequently asked questions (“FAQs”) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) recently released concerning therapy caps and advanced beneficiary notice of noncoverage (“ABNs”). READ MORE

Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released the results of a study of hospice general inpatient care (“GIP”) based on an analysis of Medicare Part A hospice claims for beneficiaries who received GIP in 2011.  The intent was to identify suspected abuse of GIP in hospice inpatient facilities by hospice providers because... READ MORE

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) recently released a Survey & Certification Letter acknowledging the change in nomenclature for the professionals working in Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (“ICF/IID”).  Formally known as Qualified Mental Retardation Professionals (“QMRPs”), these professionals are now Qualified Intellectual Disabilities Professionals (“QIDPs”).  QIDPs are required to integrate, coordinate and monitor the treatment... READ MORE

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will publish the proposed fiscal year (“FY”) Medicare payment rate in the Federal Register later today.  Announced last week, the proposed rate includes a 2.3% market basket increase; however, a forecast error correction and other mandated adjustments will reduce the market basket increase to 1.4%.  This will still result in an... READ MORE

In a transmittal issued on April 5, 2013, CMS provided guidance on survey activities that will be affected by the sequestration cuts.  The transmittal provides guidance on several areas that will have an immediate and potentially negative effect on nursing homes and post-acute care providers.  These changes will affect the survey process as conducted by the state survey... READ MORE

During yesterday’s Open Door Forum, Jeanette Kranacs, the Director of the Division of Institutional Post-Acute Care for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) commented that CMS will not be issuing instructions to surveyors on evaluating compliance and ethics programs until the regulations have been promulgated.  CMS was required to have final regulations and various tools in place as of... READ MORE

On March 19, 2013, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (“CMS”) Final Rule regarding notification and relocation requirements for closing a long-term care (“LTC”) facility was published in the Federal Register. Under the new requirements, 60 days prior to the closure of an LTC facility, the administrator must provide written notice to the... READ MORE

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (“MedPAC”) recent Report to Congress included a chapter dedicated to skilled nursing facilities (“SNFs”), which MedPAC reports received $31 billion in Medicare reimbursement in 2011.  Recently, SNFs have been under pressure from repeated reimbursement cuts; however, MedPAC’s analysis states that SNF reimbursement is adequate.   READ MORE

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (“MedPAC”) March 25th Report to Congress outlines inefficiencies they believe exist in the post-acute world and lead to excessive Medicare payments to providers. MedPAC recommendations include Congress evaluate post-acute provider reimbursement and encourage use of the lowest cost mix of services necessary to achieve the best outcomes. READ MORE

Based on additional feedback, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has revised the surveyor guidance issued in September 2012 on Naso-Gastric Tubes (NG Tubes) for F-Tag F322.  Since the NG Tube regulation, §483.25(g), was published, the use of NG Tubes has become increasingly rare in favor of other forms of enteral feeding... READ MORE