| This week’s note from the instructor is written by Judith L. Kares, JD, regulatory specialist for HCPro.
Earlier this month, the OIG released its Work Plan Mid-year Update for FY 2016 (Update). The Update is a summary of new and ongoing reviews and activities the OIG plans to pursue with respect to HHS programs and operations during the current FY and beyond. During FY 2016, the OIG has focused its Medicare oversight efforts on identifying and offering recommendations to reduce improper payments, prevent and deter fraud, and foster economical payment policies across the broad spectrum of healthcare facilities and practitioners. Today we will focus only on that portion of the Update related to short-term, acute-care hospital services covered under Medicare Parts A and B, which together are sometimes referred to as “Original” Medicare or “Fee-for-service” Medicare.
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This week’s updates include October quarterly update to 2016 annual update of HCPCS codes used for SNF Consolidated Billing enforcement; OIG investigation into improper arrangements and conduct involving home health agencies and physicians; and more!
This news article is free for all Medicare Insider subscribers. Click here to read all of this week’s updates.
MRB asked HIM and release of information (ROI) professionals about their ROI practices for its first quarterly benchmarking survey of 2015. (The survey was completed in October 2014.) Half of survey respondents are HIM directors or managers (52%). Other respondents identified themselves as nonmanagerial HIM staff members (18%) or ROI directors or managers (4%). The majority of respondents (65%) work in hospitals.
This whitepaper is available to Platinum members of Medicare Compliance Watch. Please sign in or subscribe to view the complete information.
There were no newly approved Recovery Auditor issues last week.
To read past newly approved Recovery Auditor issues, click here and select Recovery auditors in the column on the left-hand side of the page.
- Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Test Payment System Final Rule Call; Wednesday, July 6
- Quality Measures and the IMPACT Act Call; Thursday, July 7
- SNF Quality Reporting Program Call; Tuesday, July 12
Events are viewable for all Medicare Insider subscribers. Click here for more details and to register.
Product Spotlight The 2016 Revenue Integrity Symposium brings together training on Medicare billing and compliance, case management, revenue integrity, coding, CDI, and patient status, helping attendees ensure compliance and accurate billing and reimbursement across the revenue cycle. Covering all areas of revenue cycle professionals’ expanding roles, the 2016 conference has something for everyone.
Our expert speakers will cover critical, timely topics such as the 2-midnight rule, IPPS and OPPS updates, chargemaster maintenance, denials management, payer audits, ICD-10 code updates for 2017, clinical documentation, value-based purchasing, utilization review, and more! For more information and to register, visit the HCPro Healthcare Marketplace.
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