The Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Competitive Bidding Program was implemented as a means to lower costs and improve beneficiary services in the DME industry. It consists of a bidding and selection process based on certain criteria determined by CMS. The Round 1 Rebid competition went into effect in 2009 across…
Those practices with electronic health record systems (EHR) in place appear to be very happy with the results. A survey conducted by the Medical Group Management Association found that 72% of practices with implemented EHR systems were “satisfied” with the results. Further, those practices which have optimized their EHR systems…
Despite efforts by various groups to have the face-to-face encounter requirement delayed for hospices and home health agencies, the requirement became effective as of April 1, 2011. For more information regarding this issue, please see a recently authored article by Wachler & Associates attorneys Amy K. Fehn and Jennifer Colagiovanni entitled…
On April 7, 2011 CMS held a telephone conference for hospitals to answer questions on the recently released Accountable Care Organizations proposed rule and to provide further instruction on the submission of comments to CMS for consideration. The CMS representatives stated that more information regarding the Centers for Medicare and…
CMS Recently released a proposed rule which would reverse the policy of heightening restrictions on suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies (DMEPOS). The proposed rule relaxes previously onerous rules regarding the prohibition of telemarketing and beneficiary solicitation which were implemented on September 27, 2010. If you have…
On March 31, 2011, CMS released the proposed rule implementing the Medicare Shared Savings program and establishing the requirements for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) that wish to participate in this program. The following is a list of some of the highlights from this Proposed Rule. 1. The proposed rule contemplates…
The proposed legislation would allow Michigan healthcare providers to apologize to patients without fear that those comments will be used against them in legal proceedings. The law will not provide total immunity to comments, but allow for greater leeway when it comes to expressing remorse for procedures that did not…
If the rumors are true, tomorrow the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the Office of the Inspector General and the Federal Trade Commission will be releasing voluminous regulations governing the formation of Accountable Care Organizations (“ACO”) and the Medicare Shared Savings Program. But before we receive all the minutiae…
Thirteen medical societies and several senior citizen advocacy groups have requested that CMS delay the enforcement of the new face-to-face encounter requirement. These groups are seeking to delay the effective date to no sooner than July 1, 2011. This new requirement stipulates that physicians, or a nurse practitioner working with…
A Republican Senator out of Iowa, Chuck Grassley, has introduced a new bill to the Senate. This bill, which is entitled the Strengthening Program Integrity and Accountability in Health Care Act of 2011, seeks to amend the Social Security Act in a way that prevents improper billing, either through fraud or…