Michael Cook

COVID-19 Outbreak Update – Two Recent Updates From CMS Affecting Relief From Quality Reporting Requirements, And New Targeted Plan For Healthcare Facility Inspections Including Provider-Self Assessment Tool For Infection Control

COVID-19 Updates, Medicare, Medicaid & Private Payor Updates / By

(March 25, 2020): As our clients and all members of the health care community are acutely aware, the challenges raised by the Coronavirus / COVID-19 outbreak are critical and widespread. Because of these challenges, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and other principal operating components of the United States Department of Health and …

COVID-19 Outbreak Update – Two Recent Updates From CMS Affecting Relief From Quality Reporting Requirements, And New Targeted Plan For Healthcare Facility Inspections Including Provider-Self Assessment Tool For Infection Control Read More »

Recent Developments in Personal Care & Community-Based Services in Medicaid and Medicare

Home Health & Hospice / By

(March 23, 2020): Until recently, personal care services, such as home health aides, were not covered under the Medicare program unless they were part of a skilled service where the beneficiary was homebound.  However, beginning with calendar year 2019, the Medicare program has expanded the ability of plans that participate in the Medicare Advantage program …

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Providers Should Ensure That They Are Fully Aware of All of the Collateral Consequences that May Occur When Settling with the Government

Medicare, Medicaid & Private Payor Updates / By

(December 2, 2019): Over the past several years, several clients have come to our Firm who have resolved disputes through such mechanisms as settlement agreements, criminal pleas, or consent orders, either because they specified minimal penalties or because they did not include any time in incarceration. Later they discover that agreeing to these resolutions has …

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Home Health Agency Alert: The Review Choice Demonstration Project start dates for Ohio, Texas, North Carolina and Florida are Around the Corner!

Home Health & Hospice / By

(August 7, 2019): This article further updates our articles of February 19th and April 9th on the announcement by CMS of the implementation of the new five year “Review Choice Demonstration Project’ in five states – Illinois, Ohio, Texas, North Carolina and Florida, and the start date for the Demonstration Project in Illinois. I. Background …

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Home Health Agency Alert: The Review Choice Demonstration Project is Moving Forward in Illinois Effective June 1, 2019

Home Health & Hospice / By

(April 9, 2019): This article updates our article of February 19 on the lifting by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) of the moratorium on the enrollment of new home health agencies in Florida, Illinois, Michigan and Texas, and the announcement by CMS of the implementation of a new five year “Review Choice …

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CMS has Ended its Moratorium on New Home Health Agencies in Texas, Illinois, Michigan and Florida. Unfortunately, the Lifting of the Moratorium Isn’t Necessarily a Good Thing for Existing Home Health Agencies.

Home Health & Hospice / By

(February 19, 2019): CMS has now ended, at least for the current time, the moratorium that it placed on the approval of new home health agencies. At the same time, home health providers that operate in Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, Florida and Texas, and potentially other states within the Palmetto/JM jurisdiction (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, …

CMS has Ended its Moratorium on New Home Health Agencies in Texas, Illinois, Michigan and Florida. Unfortunately, the Lifting of the Moratorium Isn’t Necessarily a Good Thing for Existing Home Health Agencies. Read More »

CMS has Confirmed the Coverage of Personal Care Services by Medicare Advantage Plans Starting 2019

Medicare, Medicaid & Private Payor Updates / By

(June 26, 2018):  The coverage of personal care services by Medicare has been advocated by advocacy groups for many years.  As we reported last April, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced in its Final Call Letter for bids from plans that participate in the Medicare Advantage program (MA) for 2019.  In that …

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Medicare Advantage Plans May Soon Offer Personal Care Services

Medicare, Medicaid & Private Payor Updates / By

(April 10, 2018): On April 2, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced an expansion of the benefits that private health plans may offer Medicare beneficiaries under the Medicare Advantage (MA) program in 2019.  In its Final Call Letter for bids from plans that participate in the MA program (“MA plans”) for 2019, …

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Veterans Administration and CMS Announce Partnership to Address Fraud Prevention

Medicare, Medicaid & Private Payor Updates / By

(January 25, 2018): On January 23rd, the Veteran Administration (VA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a “partnership to strengthen prevention of fraud, waste and abuse.” According to the press release, under this partnership: “VA plans to capitalize on the advancement in analytics CMS has made by concentrating on its use …

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