Take special care in hospice/nursing home arrangements. The OIG has hospice agencies in its sites with over two dozen areas on its watch list. Tighten up your compliance plan to make sure your compliance plan is covering all the bases. Hold the…

Don’t put your Medicare payments at risk. It may be some time before medical reviewers dig up compliance problems with the new physician narrative requirement, but if you don’t take action now, you could be in a world of hurt payment-wise…

An effective compliance plan helps ensure that your hospice conforms to federal and state law, says Michal. The OIG outlines seven fundamental elements for creating your plan: 1.Implementation of written policies, procedures, and standards of conduct. 2.Designation of a compliance officer and…

The attestation statement for the physician narrative is the latest threat to your certification and billing, but it’s far from the only one. Make sure you catch these common cert mistakes that Cahaba GBA sees, before medical reviewers do: • Predating…

Culture shift can pave the way to referral boon. Studies show, time and again,that the general population is confused about hospice care. Taking the initiative to tell the stories of your patients, staff, and volunteers can help increase public awareness, employee…

Good communication, continuity prove essential. Partnering with skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) to provide their residents with hospice care can bring benefits – and headaches – to both members of the partnership. But better communication and continuity of staff can help make these relationships…

Physicians Who Provide Spiritual Care Give Hospice a Boost When medical teams pray with terminally ill cancer patients, they may be paving the way to hospice care – as well as lessening aggressive interventions. A Dana-Farber Cancer Institute study of terminally ill cancer…

Get vital information on these topics from the comfort of your own office: • HIPAACompliance: From Basics to Breach. Wednesday, February 17, 1:00 pm ET.With all of the attention on Breach Notification, it’s easy to forget that Breach Notification is just…

Take a proactive approach to stop audit trouble before it begins. The coming year will be as difficult as any the hospice industry has ever faced from a regulation and compliance perspective, the experts lament. Are you ready for the increased…

Palliative care can follow your patients throughout the health care system. Despite the fact that many would prefer to die at home, 60 to 70 percent of Americans end their lives in hospitals or nursing homes. Broadening the scope of palliative…