HHA Recertification for Home Oxygen Therapy (Rev. 2993, Upon Implementation of ICD- 10)

by  Jared Staheli, MPP
Jun 18th, 2015

Section 1834(a)(5) of the Act requires patients who receive home oxygen therapy and who at the time such services are initiated have an initial arterial blood gas value of 56 or higher or an initial oxygen saturation at or above 89 percent to be retested between 60 and 90 days after the start of oxygen therapy in order to continue to receive payment.

HHAs must initiate the request for the retesting as promptly as possible because the recertification at three months must reflect the results of an arterial blood gas or oxygen saturation test conducted between the 61st and 90th day of home oxygen therapy. Payment for the fourth month of home oxygen therapy is possible only if the patient's attending physician certifies that retesting results establish the continuing medical necessity for the services. The physician must certify based on the test of the patient's arterial blood gas value or oxygen saturation that there is a medical need for the patient to continue to receive oxygen therapy.

Value codes have been assigned for HHA reporting of the arterial blood gas and oxygen saturation. HHAs report value code 58 or 59 on every initial bill for home oxygen therapy and on the fourth month's bill. Information regarding the form locator numbers that correspond to value codes is found in Chapter 25.

For patients receiving oxygen therapy, who are not under a plan of care (bill type 34X), HHAs obtain a physicians recertification of the retesting and maintain a copy in their files for verification.

For patients receiving oxygen therapy, who are under a plan of care (bill types 32X and 33X), HHAs obtain a physician's recertification of the retesting and reflect this on Form CMS-485 or CMS-486 for verification.

A/B MACs (HHH) do not continue to make payment where the HHA fails to have the patient retested to determine continuing need of oxygen therapy within the specified time frames.