Monthly Newswire


January Guest Columnist
Health News
  • GROWTH OF HEALTH CARE SPENDING NEAR RECORD LOW. A weak economy is leading Americans to forgo medical care. According to CMS, health expenditures in the U.S. totaled $2.6 trillion in 2010 or $8,402 per person. Health spending accounted for 17.9% of the GDP in 2010, the same as in 2009. Medicare spending grew 5% in 2010, down from 7% in 2009. The new health care law passed in 2010 had little impact on costs since the most significant provisions do not take effect until 2014.

 

  • SUPREME COURT TO HEAR HEALTH CARE CASE IN LATE MARCH. The Justice Department submitted a brief with its core issue being that individuals must carry health insurance or pay a penalty. The insurance mandate is needed to address a national crisis in which the uninsured cause a huge increase in health care costs. The Justice Department stated that the uninsured consumed $116 billion in health care services in 2008 and providers lost $43 billion in non-compensated costs. The challenge led by 26 states and the NFIB claims that the insurance mandate is unconstitutional.

 

  • TAKE STEPS EARLY IN LIFE FOR A HEALTHY HEART.  Adults tend to wait until their 50s to take steps for a healthier heart. A report published in Circulation says adults would be much better off getting an earlier start in reaching this goal. According to the report, keeping high blood pressure under control at any time reduces risk for cardiovascular disease, but it is far better to keep it under control at an earlier age. Men are especially vulnerable since many wait until they schedule a colonoscopy at the age of 50 before making a physician visit. 

Click here for full report.

 

  • "COLD TURKEY" STILL MOST EFFECTIVE WAY TO QUIT SMOKING. A new study by the Harvard School of Public Health says that smokers who use nicotine patches and other similar products are just as likely to relapse as those who quit "cold turkey." Two-thirds of people resumed smoking within four years, even when nicotine therapies were used with behavioral counseling. An estimated 19.3% of adults smoked cigarettes in 2010 compared to 20.9% in 2004. A recent CDC study found that 30% of U.S. smokers tried to quit using medication and 5.9% used counseling. Only 6.2% of smokers succeeding in quitting. States have severely cut spending on tobacco prevention programs in these difficult economic times. Spending is down 36% from four years ago.

Click here for more information.

 

  • NATIONAL COUNCIL ON AGING SAYS FINANCIAL SCAMS TARGETING OLDER ADULTS ARE THE CRIME OF THE 21st CENTURY. The most common types of scams targeting older adults include Medicare fraud, counterfeit prescription drugs, funeral and charity scams. Seniors of all income levels are subject to these scams. Over 90% of all reported abuse of elders is committed by the older person's own family members - most often adult children.

Click here for more information.

 

Home Health News
  • CMS CHANGES THE ORDERING/REFERRING REPORT USED FOR PECOS VALIDATION. In response to concerns raised by the provider community, CMS will no longer post the complete NPI on the ordering & referring reports found in the "Downloads" on http://www.CMS.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll/06_MedicareOrderingandReferring.asp#TopOfPage. The following reports will be updated shortly to only contain the last 4 digits of the NPI:
  • Ordering/Referring Report
    Initial Physician Applications Pending Contractor Review
    Initial Non Physician Applications Pending Contractor Review

  • HAVEN 10.4 RELEASED (12/14/11)
    Click here     to download Haven 10.4.

 

  • NAHC 7th ANNUAL PRIVATE DUTY HOME CARE LEADERSHIP SUMMIT & EXPOSITION TO BE HELD JAN. 23-25 in LAS VEGAS.

Click here for more information.

 

  • NAHC MARCH ON WASHINGTON & LAW SYMPOSIUM CONFERENCE & EXPOSITION TO BE HELD MAR. 25-28 IN WASHINGTON, DC. This is your opportunity to meet with Congressional leaders and tell them first hand the benefits of home care and the need to end Medicare cuts.

Click here for more information.

 

  • NOTEWORTHY HEADLINES
    • ICD-10 implementation set for Oct. 2013. Keep current on the latest ICD-10 news. ICD10Watch.com and CMS are good sources for all the latest developments in ICD-10 transition planning.
      Click here for ICD10Watch. 
      Click here for CMS ICD-10.
    • PECOS Information:
      Click here for the PECOS FAQ released Nov. 2011.
      Click here for information on delayed implementation of PECOS Phase II.
      Click here for PECOS enrollment information.
SNF News
  • NEW STUDY SAYS TO SHUT DOWN INDOOR FOUNTAINS TO HALT SPREAD OF LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE. A study by Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology says indoor water fountains should be considered at risk of becoming contaminated with Legionella bacteria. According to the study, an outbreak of the respiratory illness in Wisconsin was linked to a fountain in a hospital lobby.

Click here to view full report.

 

  • MORAN COMPANY REPORTS THAT NURSING HOMES OPERATED ON 0.75 PERCENT OVERALL AGGREGATE MARGIN IN 2009. This estimate is materially different from the ones provided by MedPAC. The study projects margins ranging from 0.64% of revenue in 2012 to 2.11% in 2021. Moran sees several red flags on the horizon including:

o The "clawback" of 2011 revenues associated with reimbursement changes
o A two-year suspension of market basket adjustments
o Limited bad dept payments to 25%
o Imposing 5% coinsurance on days 1-20 of SNF care
o Capping Medicaid provider taxes at 3.5% of total payments

Click here for more information.

 

PPS Plus News

 

 

  • Have you registered to attend our 1st Annual User's Meeting? Don't miss the early bird discount ending Jan. 23, 2011! Our User's Meeting will highlight education, a special product unveiling and networking and will be filled with Mardi Gras spirit! We hope to see you in February and laissez les bon temps rouler!

Click here for more info.

 

 

 

 

 

  • SECOND EDITION OF TIPS, TRICKS & TIDBITS FOR HOME HEALTH PROFESSIONALS NOW AVAILABLE! In this edition, Jennifer Warfield, RN, BSN, HCS-D, COS-C, expands on the clinical and ICD-9-CM coding knowledge she shared in the first. The new book includes everything you loved from the first edition and even more helpful home health tips to get you through another year in the industry. From updated coding scenarios and an overview of the 2012 Final Rule to a chapter on wound classifications and a V code reference guide, you'll want to make sure this book is handy whenever and wherever you code your patients.

    2nd edition
     
     Toast to the New Year & a great deal!
     Save 30% OFF list price until Jan. 31, 2012. Use code 30NY2012 at checkout.

     Did you purchase the 1st Edition?
     Save 50% OFF list price while supplies last (code required)!
     
     Contact us for details or buy now!

 

 

 

 

  • PECOS IS COMPLEX. FINDING THOSE ENROLLED DOESN'T HAVE TO BE! Download our FREE PECOS Enrollment Validator! This stand-alone report allows agencies to quickly identify the current enrollment status of physicians as listed in Medicare's electronic database. You need not be a current customer to download!

    Click here to download for free!

 

  • DON'T FORGET... WE'RE AN APPROVED HH-CAHPS® VENDOR IN PARTNERSHIP WITH DSS RESEARCH! As a FULLY APPROVED SURVEY VENDOR in partnership with DSS Research, we'll be happy to answer your questions!

    Click here for more information.

 

  • JOIN US ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER TODAY! See cool pictures and keep up with the latest news, events, blogs and office happenings when you become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! Also check these sites for games, prizes and coupons!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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