Medicare Part B News- Jurisdiction H for May 28th, 2014

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions.

Join us for our webinar "Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Unit" 

May 30, 2014 (1:00pm-2:00pm CT)
We will help you understand why and how to use the Interactive Voice Response Unit (IVR), how to get the most from the IVR by learning all the features of the IVR, and learn about the self-help tools that assist you in using the IVR.

Don't miss this informative event! Register today!****There are no Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits for this webinar.****

Medicare Part A News-Jurisdiction H for May 28th, 2014

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions.

Medicare News

Part A Two Midnight Probe and Educate Teleconferences
Registration for the Two Midnight Probe and Educate Teleconferences has been re-opened!

• June 20, 2014 (3:00pm-4:00pm ET, 2:00pm-3:00pm CT) 
• June 26, 2014 (10:30am-11:30am ET, 9:30am-10:30am CT) 

Handout materials for these teleconferences will be available closer to the event date.


Availability of the Preliminary Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 Wage Index Public Use Files (PUF), Deadline for Requesting Revisions to the Preliminary FY 2016 Wage Index Data, and FY 2016 Wage Index Development Timetable
On Friday, May 23, 2014, CMS released the preliminary FY 2016 Worksheet S-3, Parts II and III wage index PUF. The FY 2016 IPPS wage index will be calculated based on Federal FY 2012 hospital cost reports; that is, cost reports with fiscal year begin (FYB) dates of on or after October 1, 2011 and on or before September 30, 2012. The file is available at: http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/AcuteInpatientPPS/Wage-Index-Files-Items/FY-2016-Wage-Index-Home-Page.html. The American Hospital Association also generally makes the wage index file available to individual State hospital associations.

Hospitals must review the file to confirm the inclusion and accuracy of their wage index data. Hospitals may request revisions to their preliminary wage index data. As proposed in the FY 2015 IPPS Proposed Rule, all requests from hospitals for changes to their FY 2016 wage index data must be submitted to and received by their Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) by Early October 2014. A hospital that wishes to revise its data must submit its request along with complete, appropriate, detailed supporting documentation to its MAC. Requests postmarked by the Early October 2014 deadline, but not received until after the deadline, will not be accepted.

Please visit our website for details about final FY 2016 Wage Index Deadlines.


Join us for our webinar "Interactive Voice Response (IVR) Unit" 

May 30, 2014 (1:00pm-2:00pm CT)
We will help you understand why and how to use the Interactive Voice Response Unit (IVR), how to get the most from the IVR by learning all the features of the IVR, and learn about the self-help tools that assist you in using the IVR.

Don't miss this informative event! Register today!****There are no Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits for this webinar.****

On-Site Swing Bed Training for CAHs

The Swing Bed program allows a CAH to use their beds interchangeably for either acute care or post-acute care. A Swing Bed is a change in reimbursement status. The patient swings from receiving acute care services and reimbursement to receiving skilled nursing (SNF) services and reimbursement. In some circumstances, Critical Access Hospital Swing Bed regulations may be different than the Medicare long‐term care regulations. Our experts will walk you and your staff through the ins and outs of swing bed use and give you what you need to help your Critical Access Hospital succeed!

Swing Bed Training Program:

• On-site training for hospital staff
• Geared toward physicians, clinical staff and case managers
• Facilitated by an experienced RN consultant
• Tailored to meet specific needs

Swing Bed Manual:

• Comprehensive overview of Medicare regulations
• State-specific Medicaid regulations
• Resource links and sample documentation forms
• Includes laminated “Quick Reference Guide”

Swing Bed Training
On-site 4 hour session, maximum 50 participants 

-$1200 plus travel – CRHC Member Colorado CAHs
-$1800 plus travel – Non-member Colorado CAHs
-Please Inquire for CAHs outside of Colorado

On-site 1-2 hour training, customized for physicians with limited time availability

-$500/hr plus travel – CRHC Member Colorado CAHs
- $750/hr plus travel – Non-member Colorado CAHs
-Please Inquire for CAHs outside of Colorado 

Swing Bed Manual
Medicare only………………….No Charge for Colorado CAHs (PDF File), $199 for out of state CAHs

To schedule swing bed training or obtain swing bed manuals for your state, contact:
Caleb Siem, CAH Program Manager
1-800-851-6782 • cs@coruralhealth.org

CDC Resources for Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients

It is estimated that each year 60,000 cancer patients are hospitalized for chemotherapy-related infections. Because an infection in people with cancer is an emergency, CDC has a comprehensive infection prevention program for healthcare providers, patients and their caregivers. The program, Preventing Infections in Cancer Patients, provides information, action steps, and tools to help reduce the risk of potentially life-threatening infections during chemotherapy.

Read one of the newest additions to the program - an article for patients:
Yahoo! Health, Chemotherapy and Infection - What you should know.

Visit the CDC's website for these program resources for:

· Healthcare providers
A basic infection control and prevention plan for outpatient oncology settings

· Patients and caregivers
A special interactive website to help assess the patient risk and tips for infection prevention at PreventCancerInfections.org

· Everyone
Educational resources include posters, signs, brochures, videos, web resources, and commentary.

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) is Now Accepting Applications for Healthcare Sites

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) is currently accepting applications from healthcare sites to become NHSC-approved until June 16, 11:59 PM ET. NHSC-approved sites are healthcare facilities that provide comprehensive primary (medical, dental, and behavioral) healthcare services to populations residing in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSAs).

In fiscal year 2012, Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) became the only eligible inpatient site type for application to the NHSC. Currently, there are over 200 CAHs that are NHSC-approved sites including Clearwater Valley Hospital and Clinics located in Orofino, Idaho. Watch their video to learn more about how this CAH is benefitting from becoming an NHSC-approved site.

Benefits for becoming an NHSC-approved site include the ability to:

• Recruit and retain NHSC Loan Repayment and Scholarship Program providers who are currently seeking employment at NHSC-approved sites. Watch this video featuring Nick Box, a physician assistant who is completing his NHSC loan repayment service obligation at Clearwater Valley Hospital Clinics in Orofino, Idaho; 
• Post a profile of your site and job openings on the NHSC Jobs Center, which attracts over 22,000 unique visitors each month; and 
• Participate in NHSC Virtual Job Fairs, which enable NHSC-approved sites the opportunity to recruit providers in a cost-effective manner since interaction is facilitated online via the internet and phone. 

NHSC-approved sites must:

• Be located in a designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) (Contact your State Primary Care Office for more information on HPSAs in your state)
•  Demonstrate an affiliation with an outpatient primary care clinic that is NHSC-approved or applying for NHSC approval 
• Provide comprehensive primary care and related inpatient services 
• See all patients, regardless of ability to pay 
• Accept Medicare, Medicaid, and Children’s Health Insurance Program beneficiaries 
• Utilize a discounted/sliding fee schedule for patients at or below 200% of poverty 

-Services at no charge, or a nominal charge, for those at or below 100% of poverty

-Schedule of discounts for those between 100% and 200% of poverty

-Discounts based solely on family size and income

-Must apply, at a minimum, to services in the emergency room and NHSC-approved outpatient clinic

Technical Assistance:

o The NHSC encourages eligible sites to apply as early as possible. On average the site application can take 2-3 weeks from start to finish.

o A technical assistance on-demand webinar is now available on the NHSC website.

o A conference call designed especially for CAHs will take place on Wednesday, June 4 at 1 PM ET. You can participate in the call by dialing 1-888-324-2689 and entering the following passcode: 1705573.

We look forward to receiving your application! - The National Health Service Corps

Clinical Challenges in Opioid Prescribing

Clinical Challenges in Opioid Prescribing: Balancing Safety & Efficacy

Friday, July 11, 2014

8:30 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

The Cable Center, 2000 Buchtel Blvd., Denver, CO

$50 registration fee includes breakfast, lunch, parking, 2 COPIC points, and continuing education credits

For more information and to register visit: www.peerassistanceservices.org/events

Webinar: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Million Hearts® initiative, and the American College of Cardiology (ACC) invite you to join a special Webinar on Tuesday, June 17, from 1:00–2:00 p.m. EDT, to discuss research findings on stroke prevention for patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Pending accreditation, the Webinar is expected to offer participants 1.0 continuing education credit.

The Webinar will highlight findings from the AHRQ research review Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation, as well as provide an overview of AHRQ's Effective Health Care (EHC) Program and CVD resources from the Million Hearts® initiative. Attendees will learn about key findings from the AHRQ report and have an opportunity to engage with leaders from AHRQ, Million Hearts®, and the ACC.

Speakers

• Sana M. Al-Khatib, M.D., M.H.S., associate professor of medicine, Duke Clinical Research Institute, Duke University Medical Center 
• Tahleah R. Chappel, M.S., coordinator, community outreach and engagement, Center for Outcomes and Evidence, AHRQ 
• Howard Holland, director, Office of Communications and Knowledge Transfer, AHRQ 
• Mary Norine Walsh, M.D., F.A.C.C., chair, American College of Cardiology, Patient-Centered Care Committee, and medical director, Heart Failure and Transplantation, St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana 
• Janet Wright, M.D., F.A.C.C., executive director, Million Hearts® 

Participants will—

1. Understand the goals of AHRQ's EHC Program, the National Partnership Network, and the Million Hearts® initiative and how to get involved. 
2. Identify resources from AHRQ's EHC Program and Million Hearts® that can be used for clinician education and patient engagement. 
3. Understand underutilized risk stratification tools (CHADS2, CHA2DS2-VASc, and HAS-BLED) and identify which tools work best for determining the risk level of stroke events and which work best for determining the risk level of bleeding events. 
4. Assess which new oral anticoagulants are able to reduce the risk of both stroke and bleeding events when compared to traditional therapies used in patients with non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation. 

Registration

This event is open to AHRQ's National Partnership Network members and Million Hearts® partners. Registration is free, but space is limited. To register and receive information to access this Webinar, please visit here. Please register no later than Tuesday, June 10.

We hope you will join us. If you have any questions, please contact: EHC_Outreach@ahrq.hhs.gov.

On-Site Swing Bed Training for CAHs

The Swing Bed program allows a CAH to use their beds for either acute care or post-acute care. CRHC’s experts will walk you and your staff through the ins and outs of swing bed use and give you what you need to help your CAH succeed.

Please contact Caleb Siem, the Critical Access Hospital Program Manager, to schedule on-site swing bed training for you and your staff. He can be reached at cs@coruralhealth.org.

Data and Excel Training for Quality Improvement

Challenged by creating charts for your quality measurement and improvement activities? Want to learn how to make data and charts more useful? CRHC has services that can help you learn how to unlock the potential of your quality improvement activities through data.  For information about this or other quality improvement technical assistance and pricing contact cs@coruralhealth.org.

Portal for CHW and PNs

The Colorado Community Health Worker (CHW) and Patient Navigator (PN) Collaborative have partnered with United Way 2-1-1 to create a portal to link CHW and PNs throughout Colorado. This portal will interface with 2-1-1 to access the over 13,000 resources they currently have in place, in addition to specific information about CHWs and PNs.

To further build and populate this site, we are requesting your help with providing detail about your organization and CHW/PN services. The survey link below is a manner to gather information from you about your organization. This is a very important, one time request to gather very detailed information about your organization!

We will have the opportunity to update quickly on a routine basis, but we need some assistance up-front to help build this site.You are able to start/stop the survey and data will be saved if you need to enter info on several different occasions.

Survey Link: https://redcap.ucdenver.edu/surveys/?s=dHks657wGB 

Please respond by June 1st!

CMS Gives New Meaningful Use Flexibility

CMS is proposing, for 2014 only, that EPs, eligible hospitals, and CAHs would be able to use either 2011 Edition, 2014 Edition or a combination of 2011 and 2014 Edition certified Complete EHRs and EHR Modules to meet the CEHRT definition and to demonstrate meaningful use during 2014.

To support the CMS proposals to provide added flexibility in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs during 2014, ONC is proposing to make a minor, but necessary, corresponding revision to the CEHRT definition specified at 45 CFR 170.102, to change certain FY/CY cutoffs in paragraphs (1) and (2) of the CEHRT definition. These FY/CY cutoffs were finalized in ONC's 2014 Edition final rule (77 FR 54257 through 54260).

CMS-0052-P
With respect to our proposal to allow the flexibility to use 2011 Edition Certified EHR Technology, a combination of 2011 Edition and 2014 Edition Certified EHR Technology, or solely 2014 Edition Certified EHR Technology in 2014, we do not believe that this proposal will have a significant impact as it merely gives providers the flexibility to choose to retain and use their 2011 Edition CEHRT, a combination of 2011 and 2014 Edition CEHRT, or 2014 Edition CEHRT in 2014. We are making this proposal in response to concerns that the availability of 2014 Edition CEHRT is quite limited.

The proposed rule, available for viewing now and being published on May 23, is here.

Credentialing Network Webinar Series

You are invited to participate in the Colorado Rural Credentialing Network Webinar series. These quarterly webinars will be interactive and informative, providing insight on credentialing needs.

The dates for these webinars are listed below:

July 23rd, 2014 11:00am- 12:00pm
September 24th, 2014 11:00am-12:00pm
November 19th, 2014 11:00am-12:00pm

The webinars can be purchased individually at $99 for CRHC members or $149 for CRHC non-Members. To register for the first webinar, click on the Register Now link below. You will be invoiced following the webinar. Or save by purchasing all four webinars through a Credentialing Network Membership, which is $250 for CRHC Members and $375 for CRHC non-members – for information about purchasing a Credentialing Network Membership, contact Liz Kelman at lk@coruralhealth.org.

Register Now!

Webinar: PQRS Success-Act now to avoid 2% payment penalty

Pain management quality reporting – tackle the tougher requirements to prevent pay cuts

Act now to avoid a 2% payment penalty.

Get exclusive, highly-tailored information specific to your pain management practice not found in general PQRS webinars to achieve successful PQRS reporting in 2014.

Date: Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Time: 1:00- 2:30 p.m.

The new requirements are challenging for physicians and other non-physician practitioners (NPPs) to comply with. Fail to successfully report PQRS this year and you will face a 2% payment penalty. Time's ticking for you to master the requirements now or put your practice revenue at risk.

Register today to:

• Meet the tougher PQRS requirements that apply this year 
• Get the ins-and-outs of the measures applicability validation (MAV) process and how it will be applied to pain management claims to avoid denials 
• Receive ready-to-use templates for capturing the required information and practical tips on how to avoid costly mistakes 
• Learn how to request an informal review, your only way to dispute pay cuts 

Register now to get the pain management-specific guidance to ensure your practice achieves successful PQRS reporting in 2014.

End-to-End Testing of ICD-10 Submissions Canceled Due to Implementation Delay

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) planned end-to-end testing of ICD-10 billing code submissions during the week of July 21 through 25, 2014, has been canceled due to the one year implementation delay recently passed by Congress. CMS says that additional opportunities for end-to-end testing will be available in 2015.

The temporary patch of the sustainable growth rate (SGR), passed by Congress in April delayed the original implementation of ICD-10, which was to begin on Oct. 1, 2014.

CMS is expected to release an interim final rule in the near future that will formalize the new compliance date of Oct. 1, 2015.

New Policy Search Application

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions:

Novitas is very excited to announce that a New and Improved Policy Search Application is coming soon! We would greatly appreciate you including the information below on your website or in other communication with your Association members, as you deem appropriate. Thank you for being a valued Novitas Solutions partner.

A New and Improved Policy Search is Coming Your Way Soon!

We are working on providing you with a customized policy search application.

This application will offer multiple ways to search, including:

• Policy number (LXXXXX, DLXXXXX)
• Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Code
• Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Code
• Keyword
• Local Coverage Determination (LCD) Title

You can also tailor your search by current, retired or draft policies. Yes, retired policies are coming back!

This search will occur only on policies. Thus, results will only include policies based on the search criteria entered. Information from other parts of the website will not be included in this search!

Stay tuned and visit the Novitas Solutions website for upcoming related educational opportunities and information.

ICD-10 Coding Basics Medicare Fee-For-Service National Provider Call

On Wednesday, June 4, at 1:30-3pm ET, the Medicare Learning Network will be hosting an ICD-10 Coding Basics National Provider Call.

To Register: Visit MLN Connects™ Upcoming Calls. Space may be limited, register early.

HHS expects to release an interim final rule in the near future that will include a new compliance date that would require the use of ICD-10 beginning October 1, 2015. Providers would have an extra year to prepare. During this MLN Connects™ National Provider Call, join us for a keynote presentation on more ICD-10 coding basics by Sue Bowman from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), along with updates from CMS. A question and answer session will follow the presentation.

Agenda:

• CMS updates, including the partial code freeze and 2015 code updates 
• Why ICD-9-CM is being replaced with ICD-10-CM 
• Benefits of ICD-10-CM 
• Similarities and differences from ICD-9-CM 
• Coding: Process of assigning a diagnosis code, 7th character, placeholder "x,” excludes notes, unspecified codes, external cause of injury codes, type of encounter 
• Documentation tips 
• How to obtain answers to coding questions 
• How to request modifications to ICD-10-CM 

Target Audience: Medical coders, physicians, physician office staff, nurses and other non-physician practitioners, provider billing staff, health records staff, vendors, educators, system maintainers, laboratories, and all Medicare providers

Continuing education credit may be awarded for participation in certain MLN Connects Calls. Visit the Continuing Education Credit Information web page to learn more.

Keep Up to Date on ICD-10. Visit the CMS ICD-10 website for the latest news and resources to help you prepare. Sign up for CMS ICD-10 Industry Email Updates and follow us on Twitter.

Medicare Part A and B News-Jurisdiction H for May 20th

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions.

Medicare News


You’ve Asked, We’re Delivering! - A New and Improved Policy Search Application is Coming Soon!
Novitas Solutions is pleased to announce its new customized “Policy Search Application” which will allow you to search by current, retired or draft policies. Yes, retired policies are coming back!

You may search multiple ways by: 

• Policy number (LXXXXX, DLXXXXX) 
• Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) 
• Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) 
• Keyword 
• Local Coverage Determination (LCD) title 

Search results will give you only the policies based on the search criteria entered.

Stay tuned and visit the Novitas Solutions website for upcoming educational opportunities and information.



Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Matters Articles from CMS

Revised:

• MM8401-Mandatory Reporting of an 8-Digit Clinical Trail Number on Claims
• MM8664 – April Update to the Calendar Year (CY) 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Database (MPFSDB)

Part B Top Inquiries
The monthly Part B FAQs have been updated. Please take some time to review these FAQs for answers to your questions.

Medicare Part B News-Jurisdiction H for May 15th, 2014

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions

Medicare News

MLN Connects Provider eNews for May 15, 2014
Please take note of the articles included in the Claims, Pricers and Codes section:

• Hold and Adjustments to Method II CAH Claims that Include Services for a Surgical Assistant 
• Mass Adjustments to Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Claims with Teaching Adjustment Amounts Not Displaying Correctly 

Customer Contact Center Training Schedule for June 2014
The Customer Contact Centers June training schedule has been posted to our Holiday and Training webpage. The call center will close for training on Thursday afternoons from 1:00 – 3:00 CT and reopen from 3:00 - 5:00 CT.


Provider Alert – Wound Care and Skin Equivalents
Follow this link to information related to the final LCD, Wound Care and Cellular and/or Tissue-Based Products for Wounds, which was previously placed on hold.

Medicare Part A News-Jurisdiction H for May 15th, 2014

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions

Medicare News

Part A Teleconference Handout: "Two Midnight Rule Probe and Educate" 

May 15, 2014 (1:00pm-2:30pm ET/12:00pm-1:30pm CT)
Handout materials are now available for our teleconference "Two Midnight Rule Probe and Educate" on May 15, 2014 (1:00pm-2:30pm ET/12:00pm-1:30pm CT).
Registration for this event has closed, but don't worry more events like this are coming soon! Stay tuned to our website for details!


MLN Connects Provider eNews for May 15, 2014
Please take note of the articles included in the Claims, Pricers and Codes section:

• Hold and Adjustments to Method II CAH Claims that Include Services for a Surgical Assistant 
• Mass Adjustments to Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Claims with Teaching Adjustment Amounts Not Displaying Correctly 

Customer Contact Center Training Schedule for June 2014
The Customer Contact Centers June training schedule has been posted to our Holiday and Training webpage. The call center will close for training on Thursday afternoons from 1:00pm – 3:00pm CT and reopen from 3:00pm - 5:00pm CT


Provider Alert – Wound Care and Skin Equivalents
Follow this link to information related to the final LCD, Wound Care and Cellular and/or Tissue-Based Products for Wounds, which was previously placed on hold.


Hold and Adjustments to Method II CAH Claims that Include Services for a Surgical Assistant
Method II Critical Access Hospital (CAH) claims that include services for a surgical assistant will be held until the system is fixed on June 9, 2014. No action is required by providers. Beginning on June 9, claims that were processed incorrectly from April 1 through June 9, 2014, will be adjusted for the following criteria:

• Type of Bill (TOB) = 85x 
• CAHs Method II (optional Method = 'J') - Page 10, PROVIDER REIM METH = J 
• Revenue Code = 96x, 97x, or 98x, excluding 963 and 964 
• Modifier = AS, 80, 81 and/or 82 with covered charges greater than zero 
• Healthcare Common Procedure Coding (HCPC) = 10000 - 69999 

QHi Back to Basics Session on Wednesday, May 21

Please join us for our next QHi Back to Basics session scheduled for Wednesday, May 21 at 2:00 Central Time. After providing a brief project update, we will walk through the basics of completing the facility profile, selecting measures, entering data (including a review of the CART upload process) and running reports (Dashboards, Best Practice, At-a-Glance, etc.). All QHi participants are invited to join this free webinar/conference call. Please click here to register.

CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum

If you are not able to attend the CMS Rural Health Open Door Forum on Thursday, May 15th at 2:00pm, the encore recording will be available shortly after the live recording. 

Encore:  1-855-859-2056; Conference ID: 71136304.

Encore is an audio recording of this call that can be accessed by dialing 1-855-859-2056 and entering the Conference ID. This recording will be accessible beginning 2 hours after the ODF and expires after 2 business days.

The agenda is as follows:

I. Opening Remarks

II. Chair- Carol Blackford, Center for Medicare

Co-Chair – John Hammarlund, Regional Administrator, Seattle Regional Office

Moderator – Jill Darling, Office of Communications

III. Announcements & Updates
White House Rural Council – Update from Doug McKalip, Senior Advisor to the President on Rural Affairs
Final Rule - Regulatory Provisions for CAHs, RHCs and FQHCs to Promote Program Efficiency, Transparency, and Burden Reduction

To view the final rule, please visit www.ofr.gov/inspection.aspx

• FQHC PPS and RHC Contracting - http://www.cms.gov/Center/Provider-Type/Federally-Qualified-Health-Centers-FQHC-Center.html
• FY 2015 IPPS Proposed Rule Update
  

To view the final rule, please visit http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/AcuteInpatientPPS/FY2015-IPPS-Proposed-Rule-Home-Page-Items/FY2015-IPPS-Proposed-Rule-Regulations.html

IV. Open Q&A

Medicare Part A and B- Medicare Learning Network Matters Articles from CMS

Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Matters Articles from CMS

Revised:

• MM8620 – CWF Editing for Vaccines Furnished at Hospice - Correction

Rescinded:

• MM8602 – International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) Limited End to End Testing with Submitters

Medicare Part B News-Jurisdiction H for May 9th, 2014

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions.

System Alert

Attention Arkansas and Texas Providers - Duplicate Physician Quality Reporting System Payments
A system issue has been identified where some Texas and Arkansas Part B providers have received incorrect Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) payments. Due to a system problem, payments were issued on May 1, 2014, which duplicate payments that were originally issued on November 1, 2013. Novitas is currently taking necessary steps in order to correct the duplicate payments and will update this alert as additional information is available. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.


Medicare News

Medical Policy Updates
The following JH MAC Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) have been revised:

• Category III Codes (L32691)
• Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery (L32763)
• Flow Cytometry (L32730)
• Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG) (L32712)
• Pulmonary Function Testing (L32762)

MLN Connects Provider eNews for May 8, 2014
Please take note of the articles included in the Claims, Pricers and Codes section:

• CY 2014 Home Health PPS PC Pricer Available 
• Adjustments to CMHC Claims Incorrectly Processed 
• Adjustments to Correct Home Health Claim Payments 
• Mass Adjustments to Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Claims with Teaching Adjustment Amounts Not Displaying Correctly 

2014 Medicare Symposium "Building a Strong Foundation of Proper Billing Techniques for Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Services" Session Handout Updated
The 2014 Medicare Symposium session handout for "Building a Strong Foundation of Proper Billing Techniques for Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Services" has been updated! If you have registered for this event, please take the time to review and print the updated handout.



Part B Webinar Handout: "Incident To and Shared Split Billing"

May 13, 2015 (10:00am-11:00am ET, 9:00am-10:00am CT)
Are you unsure how to bill for "Incident To and Shared/Split Billing?" Then this webinar is for you. Join us as we provide an overview of the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing Program (CERT) program, and assist you with recognizing the requirements for shared/split billing. You will learn to identify and review documentation requirements relating to “incident to” and shared/split services. As a bonus we will also provide information on what self- service options are available to you when billing your Medicare claims. You must attend this webinar, register today!

Medicare Part A News- Jurisdiction H for May 9th, 2014

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions.

Medicare News

Medical Policy Updates
The following JH MAC Local Coverage Determinations (LCDs) have been revised:

• Category III Codes (L32691)
• Cosmetic and Reconstructive Surgery (L32763)
• Flow Cytometry (L32730)
• Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG) (L32712)
• Pulmonary Function Testing (L32762)

MLN Connects Provider eNews for May 8, 2014
Please take note of the articles included in the Claims, Pricers and Codes section:

• CY 2014 Home Health PPS PC Pricer Available 
• Adjustments to CMHC Claims Incorrectly Processed 
• Adjustments to Correct Home Health Claim Payments 
• Mass Adjustments to Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Claims with Teaching Adjustment Amounts Not Displaying Correctly 

2014 Medicare Symposium "Building a Strong Foundation of Proper Billing Techniques for Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Services" Session Handout Updated
The 2014 Medicare Symposium session handout for "Building a Strong Foundation of Proper Billing Techniques for Physical, Occupational, and Speech Therapy Services" has been updated! If you have registered for this event, please take the time to review and print the updated handout.


JH Top Claim Submission Errors
The Top Claim Submission Errors and resolutions for April 2014 are now available. Please take time to review these errors and avoid them on future claims.


April 2014 Medicare Part A Newsletter
The April 2014 Medicare Part A Newsletter is now available! Please take a moment to review.


Availability of the Final Federal Fiscal Year (FY) 2015 Wage Index Data Public Use Files and Deadline for Requesting Corrections to the Data
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the final FY 2015 wage index data public use files (PUFs) on May 2, 2014. The files are available for the limited purpose of identifying any potential data entry or transmission errors made by CMS or the fiscal intermediaries, NOT for the initiation of new revision requests. The files include: 1) a file containing the Worksheet S-3 wage data from cost reports beginning during FY 2011 (that is, on or after October 1, 2010 and before October 1, 2011), and 2) a file containing the 2010 occupational mix survey data. Data that were incorrect in the February 2014 wage data PUFs, but for which no revision request was received by the March 3, 2014 deadline, will not be considered for correction at this stage. Hospitals should promptly review their final wage index data files to ensure that their Worksheet S-3 wage and occupational mix data are accurate. All requests from hospitals for corrections to their FY 2015 wage index data files must be submitted to and received (i.e., not postmarked) by both their Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and CMS on or before June 2, 2014.

Hospitals should be reminded that the average hourly wages and wage index values published in the proposed rule are based on data submitted to us by late February. Therefore, the data in the proposed rule does not reflect the wage data to be used to calculate the final FY 2015 wage index. In addition, be aware that any appeals filed in April 2014 are still pending, and are not reflected in the May 2, 2014 PUF. In order to ensure the hospital’s wage data are accurately reflected in CMS’ files prior to the calculation of the final FY 2015 wage index, hospitals must review the final wage index data PUFs posted on May 2, 2014.

For more information please visit our website.

Credentialing Network Webinar Series

You are invited to participate in the Colorado Rural Credentialing Network Webinar series. These quarterly webinars will be interactive and informative, providing insight on credentialing needs.

The dates for these webinars are listed below:

May 21st, 2014 11:00am-12:00am
July 24th, 2014 11:00am- 12:00am
September 24th, 2014 11:00am-12:00am
November 19th, 2014 11:00am-12:00am

The webinars can be purchased individually at $99 for CRHC members or $149 for CRHC non-Members. To register for the first webinar, click on the Register Now link below. You will be invoiced following the webinar. Or save by purchasing all four webinars through a Credentialing Network Membership, which is $250 for CRHC Members and $375 for CRHC non-members – for information about purchasing a Credentialing Network Membership, contact Liz Kelman at lk@coruralhealth.org.

Register Now!

Faculty Loan Repayment Program

The 2014 Faculty Loan Repayment Program application cycle is now open. All completed applications must be submitted by June 26, 2014 at 7:30 pm ET to be considered for an award. Please refer to the Application and Program Guidance for all of the program requirements.

The Faculty Loan Repayment Program supports health professions educators who are from disadvantaged backgrounds and serve a vital role in preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals. The financial assistance offered through the Faculty Loan Repayment Program decreases the economic barriers associated with pursuing a career as a health professions educator preparing the next generation of health professionals.

Prospective Applicants Should Know:

• The Faculty Loan Repayment Program will provide a lump sum, up to a maximum of $40,000, for a two-year service commitment at an eligible accredited public or non-profit private health professions school. In addition, the Faculty Loan Repayment Program requires a partial or full funding match from the applicant’s health professions school, which helps program participants further reduce their educational debt. 
• Faculty Loan Repayment Program participants who have additional qualifying loans once their service commitment is complete may re-apply for an additional loan repayment contract in exchange for another two-year service commitment. 

Applicants are encouraged to begin their application as soon as possible. On average an application can take up to a couple weeks to complete.

Please encourage applicants to participate in the technical assistance conference call listed below where questions will be addressed.

• Date: May 27, 2014 
• Time: 1:00 – 3:00 pm ET 
• Dial 1-888-391-7045, Passcode: 2240736 

We appreciate your continued support with helping us to spread the word!

Federal Registry May 2nd, 2014- Info for FQHCs and RHCs

The Federal Register issued on May 2nd, 2014 includes PPS rules for FQHCs and other changes to RHCs. To read the document, click here.

Webinar: The Utah Remote Monitoring Project

Improving Access to Quality Medical Care
The practice and delivery of healthcare is changing, with an emphasis on improving quality, safety, efficiency, and access to care. Telemedicine can help you achieve these goals! The University of Arizona Center for Rural Health & the Southwest Telehealth Resource Center invite you to a free webinar on the implementation and practice of telemedicine.

Telehealth Webinar: “The Utah Remote Monitoring Project”

Wednesday, June 11, 2014 ~ 12:00pm MDT
(11am PDT; 11am Arizona; 12pm MDT; 1pm CDT; 2pm EDT)


This is an opportunity to learn about:
1. The rationale for telemonitoring projects.
2. Describe the Utah OAT grant project.
3. Present an overview and discussion of the results.

For more information and registration instructions go to:
http://telemedicine.arizona.edu/distant-education/upcoming-workshops

Free, HRSA-Funded Nursing Leadership Course

Special Opportunity: Nursing Leadership Workshop

The Colorado Center for Nursing Excellence is in the third year of offering a HRSA-funded Nursing Leadership workshop, and have a situation where we need to fill open seats in a May workshop or we will be forced to cancel. We are sending out this notice because this may represent an opportunity for yourself or someone that you know. We know that it's short notice, but it never hurts to ask!

The final workshop dates under this grant are May 22-23 and May 28-30 (a total of five days in two segments), here in Denver. This free workshop includes six months of weekly coaching by trained coaches. We have had 193 workshop participants since 2011, and they have given it very positive reviews. The focus is improving skills related to: change management; diversity and culture; effective communication; conflict resolution; negotiating and setting boundaries; and creating excellence in the workplace.

We had eight students scheduled for the May workshop, but due to a management change on their part, four students dropped out yesterday, leaving us with only four students. It's not possible to run the workshop for four students.

However, rather than just assume that we must cancel the workshop, we are sending out this invitation to you. We believe that the workshop content, experience and coaching is very useful for all types of nurses in other practice settings ranging from acute care to community clinics, nursing school graduate students, and others.

The normal workshop fee is $100, but in this situation we will waive this fee. This HRSA-funded workshop was created to focus on Directors of Nursing and Assistant Directors of Nursing in the long term care sector, but the leadership development and coaching content is applicable to multiple positions and settings.

Click here for more information on the workshop, or to sign up. If we don't sign up at least an additional 4 students signed up by May 16, we will have to cancel. For more information, call Ingrid Serio at 303-715-0343 #21 or email her at Ingrid@ColoradoNursingCenter.org.

Reminder: Register for May 20 ICD-10 webinar!

What should you do with the "gift" of time after the ICD-10 delay? Use it wisely!

Now that physician practices have until at least Oct. 1, 2015 to transition to ICD-10, you can use this extra time to your benefit to ensure a smoother transition. Remember, experts say a good transition takes 18 months to two years to complete. In this webinar, we'll cover:

• Documentation improvement 
• Staff participation 
• Vendor updates 
• End-to-end testing 
• Understanding the implications of ICD-10 in the era of data 

Join us on Tuesday, May 20, 12 - 1 p.m., when Denny Flint, president of Complete Practice Resources, will share his thoughts and answer your questions on what you should continue to work on and how to manage staff reluctance and frustration.

Click here to register.

Register for May 20 ICD-10 Webinar: What to do with the "gift" of time

What should you do with the "gift" of time after the ICD-10 delay? Use it wisely!

Now that physician practices have until at least Oct. 1, 2015 to transition to ICD-10, you can use this extra time to your benefit to ensure a smoother transition. Remember, experts say a good transition takes 18 months to two years to complete. In this webinar, we'll cover:

• Documentation improvement 
• Staff participation 
• Vendor updates 
• End-to-end testing 
• Understanding the implications of ICD-10 in the era of data 

Join us on Tuesday, May 20, 12 - 1 p.m., when Denny Flint, president of Complete Practice Resources, will share his thoughts and answer your questions on what you should continue to work on and how to manage staff reluctance and frustration.

Click here to register.

Free Lyme Disease Webinar!

You're Invited to Attend a FREE Webinar:

Lyme Disease: A Springtime Review of Prevention, Diagnosis & Treatment Recommendations 

Monday, May 12, 2014 

12:00pm - 1:00pm CST 

(10am PST, 11am MST, 1pm EST) 

Presenter: Christina Nelson, MD, MPH, FAAP
Medical Epidemiologist
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Division of Vector-Borne Diseases | Bacterial Diseases Branch
Lyme Disease: A Springtime Review of Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment Recommendations

Learning Objectives:

* Review the principles of prevention for tick-borne diseases
* Recognize the symptoms of Lyme disease
* Understand the appropriate use of serologic tests for confirming diagnoses of Lyme disease
* Understand the appropriate use of antibiotics in treating Lyme disease


Registration is easy! Just click HERE.

 Mark Your Calendars!
Don't let the dates pass you by, check out our webinar calendar for all upcoming webinars, on-site trainings and agro-medicine course locations.

CCSP Motivational Interviewing Training

CCSP (Colorado Colorectal Screening Program) is excited to offer a 2-day onsite Motivational Interviewing (MI) Training for patient navigators. Motivational Interviewing is an evidence-based approach that seeks to strengthen an individual’s motivation and commitment to change.

Below please find some specifics on this training.

Date & Time:

Day 1: May 28, 2014 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Day 2: May 29, 2014 8:00am – 3:00pm

Location:

Anschutz Medical Campus

Education 2 South, Room 2305

13121 East 17th Avenue

Aurora, CO 80045

RSVP

Please RSVP to Tashia, latashia.warren@ucdenver.edu (attendee name and clinic) to confirm your attendance.

Travel & Lodging 

CCSP will be able to offer travel reimbursement for training participants traveling from outside the Denver Metro Area. CCSP asks that participants carpool.
We will reimburse out-of-town participants for:
· 1 night hotel accommodations ($156 or less)*, **
· Mileage (.50/mile)
· Per Diem for meals not provided at the training
*If a training participant stays with friends or family, CCSP will reimburse $25for lodging
**If you need an additional night stay or AIRFARE because of travel distance, please contact Ashley Abeyta at ashley.abeyta@ucdenver.edu.

PLEASE BRING HOTEL RECEIPT, MILEAGE TRAVELED, AND MEAL RECEIPTS TO THE TRAINING. FORMS FOR REIMBURSEMENT WILL BE FILLED OUT WHILE YOU ARE HERE.

Lodging near Anschutz Medical Campus

Please make your own reservations - A hotel receipt is needed for reimbursement. Some locations may have a UCD rate, inquire when reserving (Corporate Rate ID 301795).

Miles to Hospital	Hotel/Motel/Other	Phone #	Room Rate	Transportation to Hospital
.5	SpringHill Suites Denver Aurora/Fitzsimons 13400 East Colfax Avenue Aurora, Colorado 80011	720-859-1100	$$$	Yes
3.16	The Timbers 4411 Peoria Street Aurora, CO 80239	303-373-1444 1-800-844-9404	$$$+	Yes
3.8	Holiday Inn DIA 15500 East 40th Avenue Denver, CO 80239	303-371-9494	$$$	No
4.0	Embassy Suites 4444 North Havana Denver, CO 80239	303-375-0400 1-800-EMBASSY	$$$+	Yes
4.3 DIA	Hyatt Place 16250 East 40th Avenue Aurora, CO 80011	303-371-0700 1-888-492-8847	$$$	Yes
4.45 I-225	Best Western Inn & Suites 800 South Abilene Street Aurora, CO 80012	720-748-4800 1-866-363-0915	$$	No
4.6 DIA	Hilton Garden Inn-DIA 16475 East 40th Avenue Aurora, CO 80011	303-371-9393 1-877-STAY-HGI	$$$+	Yes
5.4 Stapleton	DoubleTree Hotel 3203 Quebec Street Denver, CO 80207	303-321-3333 1-866-899-8093	$$	No
5.4 Stapleton	Radisson Hotel-Denver 3333 Quebec Street Denver, CO 80207	303-321-3500	$$$	No
5.5 I-225	DoubleTree Hotel 13696 East Iliff Avenue Aurora, CO 80014	303-337-2800	$$$	No
5.8 Stapleton	Denver Renaissance Marriott 3801 Quebec Street Denver, CO 80207	303- 399-7500	$$	No
5.8 Stapleton	Red Lion Hotel 4040 Quebec Street Denver, CO 80216	303- 321-6666 1-800-REDLION	$$	Yes

University of Colorado Hospital does not endorse any lodging listed above. 

Discounts subject to change.

 

Medicare Part B News-Jurisdiction H for May 6th, 2014

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions.

Medicare News

ICD-10 Compliance Date
On April 1, 2014, the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA) (Pub. L. No. 113-93) was enacted, which said that the Secretary may not adopt ICD-10 prior to October 1, 2015. Accordingly, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services expects to release an interim final rule in the near future that will include a new compliance date that would require the use of ICD-10 beginning October 1, 2015. The rule will also require HIPAA covered entities to continue to use ICD-9-CM through September 30, 2015.

July ICD-10 End-to-End Testing Canceled: Additional Testing Planned for 2015
CMS planned to conduct ICD-10 testing during the week of July 21 through 25, 2014, to give a sample group of providers the opportunity to participate in end-to-end testing with Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and the Common Electronic Data Interchange (CEDI) contractor. The July testing has been canceled due to the ICD-10 implementation delay. Additional opportunities for end-to-end testing will be available in 2015.

Medicare Part A News-Jurisdiction H for May 6th, 2014

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions

Medicare News

ICD-10 Compliance Date
On April 1, 2014, the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA) (Pub. L. No. 113-93) was enacted, which said that the Secretary may not adopt ICD-10 prior to October 1, 2015. Accordingly, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services expects to release an interim final rule in the near future that will include a new compliance date that would require the use of ICD-10 beginning October 1, 2015. The rule will also require HIPAA covered entities to continue to use ICD-9-CM through September 30, 2015.


July ICD-10 End-to-End Testing Canceled: Additional Testing Planned for 2015
CMS planned to conduct ICD-10 testing during the week of July 21 through 25, 2014, to give a sample group of providers the opportunity to participate in end-to-end testing with Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and the Common Electronic Data Interchange (CEDI) contractor. The July testing has been canceled due to the ICD-10 implementation delay. Additional opportunities for end-to-end testing will be available in 2015.


CMS Issues Proposed Hospital Inpatient Payment Regulation
On April 30, CMS issued a proposed rule that would update FY 2015 Medicare payment policies and rates for inpatient stays at general acute care and long-term care hospitals (LTCHs). This rule builds on the Obama administration’s efforts through the Affordable Care Act to promote improvements in hospital care that will lead to better patient outcomes while slowing the long-term health care cost growth. Learn more here.

Medicare Part B News-Jurisdiction H for May 2nd, 2014

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions.

Informational Alert
Common Working File (CWF) Hosts will be Conducting History Purges

• On Saturday, May 3, 2014, the CWF Southwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Great Western Hosts will be conducting a history purge. 
• On Saturday, May 10, 2014, the CWF Southeast, South, and Pacific Hosts will be conducting a history purge. 
• On Saturday, May 17, 2014, the CWF Northeast, Great Lakes, and Keystone Hosts will be conducting a history purge.

Due to the anticipated duration of this activity and to ensure the completion of weekly processing and scheduled data center maintenance, there will be a CWF Dark Day at those Hosts only on the Saturday specified for the purge.
This means there will be no access to the Health Insurance Master Record (HIMR) query, which is usually available until noon on Saturdays. All files received from satellites for each Fridays’ cycle will be completed prior to bringing CWF production down for those three weeks. If, for any reason, satellite files are received late Saturday morning, they will be processed by CWF after the history purge has been completed.
The oldest claim history maintained at all nine of the CWF Hosts, after the purge process will be as follows:

• Oldest Inpatient claim Thru Date to be kept on file is January 1, 1966 
• Oldest Outpatient claim Thru Date to be kept on file is February 1, 2012 (27 months) 
• Oldest Part B claim Thru Date to be kept on file is May 1, 2012 (24 months)

MLN Connects Provider eNews for May 1, 2014
Please take note of the "Preventive Services Payable to RHCs and FQHCs" article that is included in the Claims, Pricers and Codes section. View the newsletter here


2014 Medicare Symposium "Understand the Basics of the Medicare Program" Session Handout Updated
The 2014 Medicare Symposium session handout for "Understand the Basics of the Medicare Program" has been updated! If you have registered for this event, please take the time to review and print the updated handout.

Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Matters Articles from CMS

New:

• MM8748 – July 2014 Quarterly Average Sales Price (ASP) Medicare Part B Drug Pricing Files and Revisions to Prior Quarterly Pricing Files

Rescinded:

• MM8468 – Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) Positron Emission Tomography (PET) for Solid Tumors

Medicare Part A News-Jurisdiction H for May 2nd, 2014

The following information is provided by Novitas Solutions.

Medicare News

Informational Alert
Common Working File (CWF) Hosts will be Conducting History Purges

• On Saturday, May 3, 2014, the CWF Southwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Great Western Hosts will be conducting a history purge. 
• On Saturday, May 10, 2014, the CWF Southeast, South, and Pacific Hosts will be conducting a history purge. 
• On Saturday, May 17, 2014, the CWF Northeast, Great Lakes, and Keystone Hosts will be conducting a history purge. 

Due to the anticipated duration of this activity and to ensure the completion of weekly processing and scheduled data center maintenance, there will be a CWF Dark Day at those Hosts only on the Saturday specified for the purge.
This means there will be no access to the Health Insurance Master Record (HIMR) query, which is usually available until noon on Saturdays. All files received from satellites for each Fridays’ cycle will be completed prior to bringing CWF production down for those three weeks. If, for any reason, satellite files are received late Saturday morning, they will be processed by CWF after the history purge has been completed.
The oldest claim history maintained at all nine of the CWF Hosts, after the purge process will be as follows:

• Oldest Inpatient claim Thru Date to be kept on file is January 1, 1966 
• Oldest Outpatient claim Thru Date to be kept on file is February 1, 2012 (27 months) 
• Oldest Part B claim Thru Date to be kept on file is May 1, 2012 (24 months)

Proposed Changes to FYs 2016 and 2017 Hospital Wage Index Timeline - Important
On Wednesday, April 30, 2014, CMS issued the FY 2015 IPPS proposed rule which is available for download on the internet here. In that proposed rule (CMS-1607-P), CMS proposed significant changes to the FYs 2016 and FY 2017 Wage Index Development Timetables. We are alerting you to these proposed changes now, so that you may plan and comment on this proposal accordingly. The public comment period for the FY 2015 IPPS proposed rule closes by June 30, 2014. Comments may be submitted four different ways as indicated in the proposed rule. You may (and we encourage you to) submit electronic comments at http://www.regulations.gov by entering “CMS 1607” in the search box, and then clicking on “Comment Now”.

As in the FY 2015 IPPS proposed rule, we have pasted the proposed changes for FYs 2016 and 2017 in the tables below, side by side with the existing timetable, so that you may read the proposed changes in the context of the existing timetable. Under the proposed changes for FYs 2016 and 2017, although we are not providing exact dates for the FYs 2016 and 2017 wage index timetable, we note that, with every change listed below, we intend to provide hospitals and MACs with the same or somewhat more time than under the current timetable to complete reviews and request revisions. We note that some changes for FY 2016 are effective beginning in May 2014, which would give hospitals more time to review the preliminary FY 2016 wage index and occupational data. If finalized, these changes would be applicable to the FYs 2016 and 2017 wage index. Please also see attached Tentative FY 2016 Wage Index Timeline.

If you have any questions please contact one of the wage index coordinators (click, then scroll down).

The MLN Connects Provider eNews for May 1, 2014

Please take note of the "Preventive Services Payable to RHCs and FQHCs" article that is included in the Claims, Pricers and Codes section. The newsletter is available here.

2014 Medicare Symposium "Understand the Basics of the Medicare Program" Session Handout Updated
The 2014 Medicare Symposium session handout for "Understand the Basics of the Medicare Program" has been updated! If you have registered for this event, please take the time to review and print the updated handout.

Join us for our webinar "Part A Credit Balance" 

May 15, 2014 (10:00am-11:30am ET, 9:00am-10:30am CT).
We will describe the credit balance report, advise when and where to submit the credit balance report, and examine how to submit a voluntary refund.
Don't miss this informative event! Register today!

Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Matters Articles from CMS
New:

• MM8748 – July 2014 Quarterly Average Sales Price (ASP) Medicare Part B Drug Pricing Files and Revisions to Prior Quarterly Pricing Files

Rescinded:

• MM8468 – Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) Positron Emission Tomography (PET) for Solid Tumors

RHC – FQHC Low or No Utilization Cost Report Filings

For RHC and FQHC providers, keep in mind that you might be eligible to file a no or low utilization cost report for your next cost report. If you have not seen any Medicare patients during the year, save time and money by filing a no utilization cost report. Only a letter and completed worksheet S with original signature needs to be filed or you can complete the cost report including your rate and still include a letter that there was no Medicare utilization. RHC and FQHC providers may also file a low utilization cost report. If the provider has been reimbursed $25,000 or less during the cost reporting period, they may request permission from the intermediary to file a low utilization cost report and waive filing of the ECR disk. If approved the provider must file a copy of the balance sheet, statement of income and expenses and a statement signed by the authorized provider official stating the provider will accept the Medicare interim payments as final settlement for the cost reporting period, along with worksheets noted.