Medicare Finalizes Home Health Payments for 2014
On Nov. 22, CMS issued the final 2014 home health care payment rule. The final policies in this rule better align Medicare payments with home health agencies’ costs providing care, while lowering costs to taxpayers and the 3.5 million Medicare beneficiaries who receive home health services nationwide. The 2014 final rule reduces Medicare payments under the Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) by 1.05 percent.
CVS Caremark Buys Coram Infusion Business from Apria Healthcare
WOONSOCKET, R.I. (Nov. 27, 2013—CVS Caremark announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire Coram LLC ("Coram"), the specialty infusion services and enteral nutrition business unit of Apria Healthcare Group Inc. for approximately $2.1 billion. Coram is one of the nation's largest providers of comprehensive infusion services, providing infusion therapies and nutrition services to more than 20,000 patients each month.
CMS ICD-10 Update
CMS is in the process of implementing ICD-10. All covered entities have to be fully compliant on Oct. 1, 2014. CMS will not be granting a transition or grace period. After Oct. 1, 2014, ICD-9 codes will no longer be accepted for services provided after Oct. 1, 2014 and ICD-10 codes will not be accepted for services provided prior to Oct. 1, 2014. CMS Announces ICD-10 Testing Between MACs and Trading Partners: On Nov.
Webinar—Contracts with Hospitals to Prevent Readmissions, Global Billing Arrangements, Employee Liaisons, and Other Arrangements with Referral Sources
Webinar Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013 2:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. In order to succeed in today's regulatory climate, providers must constantly think outside the box. One way to accomplish this is for providers to enter into business arrangements with referral sources such as hospitals and physicians. In doing so, they must avoid problems under the Medicare anti-kickback statute and the Stark physician self-referral statute.