E/M Coding Alert - 2009 Issue 12
HOSPICE : Higher Hospice Payment Rates Arrived on April 3 -- Are You Prepared?
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Article Overview
This article discusses a CMS hospice payment update connected to a recent federal stimulus law and related agency guidance. It is aimed at hospice providers and billing professionals who need to understand the timing of payment system updates, retroactive claim adjustments, and references to CMS transmittals and MLN Matters guidance. The content focuses on broad payment-policy changes and administrative processing steps, not on detailed clinical billing scenarios.
Why This Topic Matters
Hospices and their billing teams need to know when payment changes take effect, whether past claims may be reprocessed, and which CMS guidance documents apply. Understanding the update helps organizations anticipate administrative adjustments and stay aligned with current federal payment policy.
Article Sections
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Payment update overview
Introduces the hospice payment change and the general reason CMS issued the update. Summarizes the scope of the payment relief discussed in the article.
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Timing and policy context
Explains when the update takes effect and places it in the context of CMS implementation guidance. Notes that the article references related agency communications and federal publication history.
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Future payment changes
Describes the broader multi-year policy timeline discussed by CMS for hospice payment adjustments. Focuses on the general schedule and its relationship to the temporary delay.
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Retroactive claim adjustments
Covers the administrative reprocessing of affected claims and the associated remittance activity. Addresses how prior claims are expected to be handled operationally.
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CMS references and source documents
Points readers to the CMS transmittal, MLN Matters article, and related publication references cited in the article. Supports follow-up for providers who need the official guidance documents.
What You Will Learn
- The general hospice payment policy change described by CMS
- When the payment update was scheduled to begin
- How CMS described the handling of earlier claims
- Which CMS guidance documents are referenced in the article
- Why hospice providers should monitor administrative payment adjustments
Who Should Read This
- Hospice providers
- Hospice billing staff
- Revenue cycle professionals
- Medical coders
- Healthcare compliance staff
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