U S Department of Health and Human Services www.hhs.gov

Home Health Agency (HHA) Center

Spotlights
  • Try the NEW Guided Pathways (DEC2008) Medicare Learning Network (MLN) products! These three booklets incorporate existing Medicare Learning Network (MLN) products and other CMS resources into well organized sections that can help Medicare Fee-for-Service (FFS) providers and suppliers find information to understand and navigate the Medicare Program. The three Guided Pathways booklets guide learners to resources that provide a fundamental overview of Medicare knowledge, as well as detailed FFS policies and requirements. Click here to access the Guided Pathways educational web guide and booklets. (Posted 01/08/09)
  • "Attachment D" to Chapter 8 of the "OASIS Implementation Manual" has been reissued to promote accurate selection and assignment of the patient's diagnosis on the current OASIS (OASIS B1 (1/2008).  This document clarifies CMS expectations specific to the assignment of diagnosis codes to the OASIS as dictated by the revised ICD-9-CM coding guidelines effective Oct. 2008 and the HH PPS refinements effective January, 2008.  Attachment D addresses the diagnoses items that pertain to the home health episode (i.e., M0230, M0240 and M0246) and is currently posted in the "Downloads" section of the "OASIS B1 User Manual website:  http://www.cms.hhs.gov/HomeHealthQualityInits/14_HHQIOASISUserManual.asp (posted 12/31/2008)
  • It has come to CMS's attention that there exists, technical errors in the HH PPS Rate Update for CY 2009 (CMS-1555-N) [PDF, 173KB], as it relates to the wage index table in Addendum B. Specifically, Litchfield County, CT should not be listed under CBSA 25540, nor should Merrimack County, NH be listed under CBSA 31700. As stated in section "F. Hospital Wage Index" (73 FR 65358), under item "1. Clarification of New England Deemed Counties" of the above notice, both Litchfield and Merrimack counties are to be considered rural for the purposes of the hospital wage index. Additionally, Manatee and Sarasota counties were inadvertently not listed under CBSA 14600 Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice. These counties should be listed under CBSA 14600. CMS will be issuing a formal "Correction Notice" noting these technical errors and the subsequent corrections. The public should refer to that correction notice for final official notice of these errors and their corrections. (posted 11/06/08)
  • CMS-1555-N [PDF, 173KB] or CMS-1555-N (508) : The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a notice to update the Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) for calendar year (CY) 2009 ("Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update for Calendar Year 2009; Notice"). Medicare payments to home health agencies will increase by an estimated additional $30 million next year as a result of a 2.9 percent increase in the annual market basket update, a 2.75 percent reduction to the HH PPS rates (the 2nd year of a 4-year phased in reduction) to account for the changes in case-mix that are unrelated to patient's health status, and an updated 2009 wage index. (posted 10/31/08)
  • CMS is updating the HH PPS Grouper. The primary reason for this update is changes in ICD-9-CM coding (effective October 1, 2008). CMS is providing an updated HH PPS Grouper Software Package (Version 2.03). These materials include the updated GROUPER.DLL software module, an updated version of the grouper logic (pseudocode) and associated tables, and updated test cases to be used by those who are developing their own software to implement the grouper logic. The changes to the grouper are described in the README file
    (READM203.PDF) included in the updated package.  (posted 09/23/08)
  • The revised FY 2008.3 (Posted 08/05/2008) - Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) PC Pricer is now available for download. (posted 08/06/08)
  • April 30, 2008, CMS posted the Abt Associates Technical report titled, "Refinement of Medicare's Home Health Prospective Payment System: Final Report," describing results of research and analysis conducted to address Medicare's information and program administration needs pertaining to the home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) implemented in October 2000. The reports provides details on the data analysis and simulations used by CMS in the development of the May 4, 2007 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (CMS-1451-P) and the August 29, 2007 Final Rule w/ comment (CMS-1541-FC) for the Home Health Prospective Payment System Refinement and Rate Update for Calendar Year 2008. This report comes in two parts: the Technical report and the Appendix containing associated tables.

 

Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Spotlights
Go to the What's New page for the latest MLN products and announcements! Check it often!


Important Links


Demonstration/Research

How to Stay Informed



Contacts

 

 

Browse by Special Topic





www4