NewsLine - June 2013 - (Page 3)

Important Points About the Proposed FY2014 Rule T he Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released a proposed rule (posted by CMS on April 29 and published in the Federal Register on May 10) which would update the fiscal year FY2014 hospice reimbursement rates. But that wasn’t all. There were a number of other important things addressed that all providers should be aware of, including: clarification on coding requirements; hospice quality reporting; an update on hospice payment reform options; a shortstay add-on payment; rebasing the routine home care rate; a site of service adjustment for hospice patients in nursing facilities; and a cost report analysis. Given this, please be sure to review the information that our Regulatory Team makes available. A good place to start is with the NHPCO Regulatory Alert issued on April 30. One particular point that concerns me greatly is the claim from CMS that under the proposed rule hospices would receive “a 1.1 percent market basket increase” in their reimbursement. As I shared in a message to members when the proposed rule was posted, the numbers don’t add up. The impact of sequestration cuts was not calculated in this figure. Under current law, the CMS proposed payment update would actually mean a minus 0.9 percent decrease for the nation’s hospice community. Please be assured that NHPCO, the Hospice Action Network and our lobbyists are all working to emphasize the damage that a negative update would bring to the hospice community. Furthermore, our official letter to CMS will be submitted by the July deadline for comments. Hospices are already struggling with an increased regulatory burden, heightened scrutiny, and existing productivity cuts. Given the value that hospice brings to the federal system and the patients and families we serve, we must work collaboratively and carry our unified voice to Capitol Hill. There is also a part you can play. The Hospice Action Network will be hosting its annual Advocacy Intensive in Washington, DC on July 29 and 30, 2013. We need to bring as many advocates as possible to the nation’s capital to carry our voice to members of Congress. And every voice matters—hospice directors, clinical staff, volunteers, board members and supporters! Registration is now open, so please consider joining us. J. Donald Schumacher, PsyD President/CEO NewsLine 3 http://www.nhpco.org/regulatory-alerts/cms-proposes-updates-wage-index-and-payment-rates http://www.nhpco.org/regulatory-alerts/cms-proposes-updates-wage-index-and-payment-rates http://www.hospiceactionnetwork.org/han-in-action/han-events/advocacy-intensive/ http://www.hospiceactionnetwork.org/han-in-action/han-events/advocacy-intensive/

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NewsLine - June 2013

Orchestrating Complex Care
A Message From Don
Determining Caseloads
MLC Conference Sponsors (display ad)
Quality on Display
Glatfelter Healthcare Practice (display ad)
PT in Hospice
Simione Consulting (display ad)
NHPCO Affinity Program (display ad)
Award Winners Recognized at MLC
2014 Circle of Life Call for Nominations
Member News
Compliance Tip
New Online Courses from NHPCO’s E-OL
Videos Worth Watching
News From NHF

NewsLine - June 2013