|
|
| Welcome to the first edition of the Simione Solutions
E-Newsletter. This informational newsletter will be
e-mailed to you on a monthly basis containing articles
and information on up to date industry issues. |
 |
 IS YOUR AGENCY FILING AN ACCURATE COST REPORT?
If your agency's fiscal year end is December 31, 2009, it's time to start gathering the proper information for filing the cost report. Don't wait until the last minute. You need to file an accurate cost report that adheres to the Medicare filing requirements. The cost report is due June 1st.
Why is it important that the cost report be filed accurately?
- By signing the cost report you are certifying it is in compliance with all of the applicable Medicare rules and regulations and you are responsible for its contents.
- CMS will be using the cost report information for the rebasing of payment rates in the near future.
- The likelihood of financial audit of your cost report by the RHHI, as opposed to settling based on PS & R statistical information is increased.
- Accurate data upon which payment rates may be set will affect the entire home health industry.
-
PS&R reports will not be mailed. You must register for the IACS (Individual Authorized Access to CMS Computer Systems) to obtain the PS&R. If you have not yet registered, please visit www.cms.hhs.gov/IACS and click on CMS Application Portal.
To learn more about our Cost Report Services, click here |
|
ARE YOU OPTIMIZING THE USE OF YOUR CURRENT SYSTEM?
By Suzanne Sblendorio, Director, Simione Consultants
To answer this question perform a utilization self assessment. Step 1 is to walk thru key work processes with your employees and note their interaction with the system. Identify what they do on line in the system and outside of the system via documents such as spreadsheets and logs. Note the reasons they use the help desk and what they say they like and dislike about it.
In the coming issues we will provide more tips to help you conduct this Utilization Self-Assessment.If you would like more information about our IT Division Services, click here |
|
 IS YOUR AGENCY IN A GOOD FINANCIAL POSITION TO PAY OFF SHORT TERM CREDITORS?
By Rob Simione, Senior Consultant, Simione Consultants
In today's hectic economy it is of the utmost importance to be able to meet your short term liabilities. The best way to measure this is to analyze your agency's liquidity. Liquidity is the ability for an agency to turn its assets into cash. Short term assets are the most readily available assets that can be converted to cash. Examples of short term assets are cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, and inventory. A key measurement of a company's liquidity is its working capital. The average working capital for homecare agencies is $1.4 million.This Simione/OCS benchmark is from the Financial Monitor.
To learn more about the Financial Monitor, click here |
|
COMPLIANCE TIP.....
By Robin Seidman, Director, Simione Consultants
HOME HEALTH
Avoid one of the top claim submission errors (Error 31018): Incorrect "FROM" and "TO" dates for PPS 60-day episode of care.
How to prevent/resolve:
- Verify the "FROM" and "TO" dates submitted on home health claims to ensure there is never more than a span of 60 calendar days billed on a final claim (type of bill 329 or 339).
- Access the episode calendar available on the "OASIS Download" page of the QIES Technical Support Office (QTSO) web site. The calendar is found under the "OASIS Follow-Up Assessment Scheduling Calendar" header.
HOSPICE
How are your hospice physicians doing complying with the narrative requirement describing their rationale for certifying/recertifying each Medicare beneficiary electing the Hospice Benefit?
Helpful Tips for compliance:
- The narrative must be specific and unique to the patient and should not contain check boxes or boilerplate text.
- Use objective and measurable terms related to medical diagnostic test results that are negative findings and support eligibility (i.e. Albumin decreased this cert period to 2.4 from 2.6; BMI=18)
- Avoid words that illustrate a medically chronic or stable patient and use words that describe decline and disease progression (i.e. if this is a re-cert make sure the narrative is not the same as the last cert; instead of "Dementia patient with slow decline" use "Dementia progressing as evidenced by increasing episodes of dysphagia."
To learn more about our Compliance Services, click here
|
|
FEBRUARY IS HEART MONTH
By Mike Ferris, Director, Simione Consultants
Seize the opportunity to use the momentum created by all of the publicity surrounding Heart Month during February. Organize wear red days, etc. Cardiac diagnoses are a common denominator for many of our referral partners.
Home health and hospice has a phenomenal opportunity to expand referrals by helping the medical community understand the value of our services to their cardiac patients. The concept of a cardiac patient having to go to the hospital before being referred to home health or hospice is a travesty. But many physicians run their practice with just that outcome. Our value is to keep the patients from having an acute episode and ending up in the ER or hospital. End stage cardiac patients are historically very late referrals to hospice - you must help the community see hospice as the right solution earlier.
Develop a sales campaign that will result in the expansion of the use of your services and to illustrate how your agency is the best solution for cardiac patients.
To learn more about Marketing, Sales and Customer Service, click here
To sign up for the Legendary Sales Leadership e-newsletter, click here
|
|
|
|
|
|
