Tag: Health Law Center
Opinion greenlights post-discharge services
October 18, 2013Liz Beaulieu, Editor
WASHINGTON - An advisory opinion from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) provides a framework for how HME providers can offer services to reduce hospital readmissions without violating the anti-kickback statute.
The biggest takeaway: Providers cannot supply these services to hospitals for free.
“The hospital has to pay,” said Elizabeth Hogue, a private practice attorney in Burtonville, Md. “That was crucial to the OIG's approval.”
Advisory Opinion No. 13-10...
Medicare tweaks documentation process
May 24, 2013Elizabeth Deprey
WASHINGTON - Three recent changes to the Program Integrity Manual could give providers some relief from common documentation woes, say industry attorneys.At the top of the list: a clarification of CMS's policy on templates.“CMS does not prohibit the use of templates to facilitate record-keeping,” reads the new language in the manual, published in March.Other clarifying language addresses attestations and physician responsibility.Templates Providers have been conflicted about the use of...