**Updated June 23, 2009- The next Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum is scheduled for Tuesday, June 30, 2009 from 2-3pmET. If you wish to participate, dial 1-800-837-1935 Conference ID 16841080. Please see the Downloads section below for the full participation announcement.

**Updated June 18, 2009- Scam Alert Notice- CMS has become aware of a scam where perpetrators are sending faxes to physician offices posing as the Medicare carrier or Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). The fax instructs physician staff to respond to a questionnaire to provide an account information update within 48 hours in order to prevent a gap in Medicare payments. The fax may have the CMS logo and/or the contractor logo to enhance the appearance of authenticity.

Medicare FFS providers, including physicians, non-physician practitioners, should be wary of this type of request. If you receive a request for information in the manner described above, please check with your contractor before submitting any information. Medicare providers should only send information to a Medicare contractor using the address found in the download section of the CMS.gov website found at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNGenInfo/ or http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MedicareProviderSupEnroll .

**Updated June 9, 2009- Medicare Payment decision for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT)

CMS' preliminary Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) coding decision and preliminary Medicare Payment decision for negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) devices is now published in the July 9, 2009 NPWT Public Meeting Agenda. This public meeting affords stakeholders an opportunity to provide input concerning the preliminary decision.

The Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 required the Secretary to evaluate existing HCPCS codes for NPWT devices to ensure accurate reporting and billing for the items and services under such codes; use an existing process for the consideration of coding changes; and consider all relevant studies and information furnished through the process.

CMS partnered with Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) to commission a review of NPWT devices to ensure all relevant studies and information on NPWT were captured. ECRI Institute solicited information from stakeholders and searched literature in conducting this review. A draft report of their findings was published for comment in April 2009. After analysis of comments received, ECRI concluded that the available evidence does not support significant therapeutic distinction of a NPWT system or component of a system. The report informed CMS' HCPCS workgroup's decision. The final report will be publicly available no later than June 10, 2009 on AHRQ's homepage for the Technology Assessment Program at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/techix.htm .

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Home Health, Hospice, and Durable Medical Equipment Open Door Forum (ODF) Overview:

The Home Health, Hospice & Durable Medical Equipment ODF addresses the concerns of three unique health care areas within the Medicare & Medicaid programs. Issues related to Home Health PPS, the newly proposed competitive bidding for DME, and the Medicare Hospice benefit are all topics the forum has covered. Many of the issues covered bridge concerns within all three settings, and the combination of the topics under one forum has been useful to many participants. We continue to hold Special ODFs when individual policy issues require special attention. Timely announcements and clarifications regarding important rulemaking, agency program initiatives, and other related areas are also included in the forums.

Downloads
Tuesday, June 30, 2009- Home Health, Hospice & DME ODF Announcement (PDF, 24KB) Friday April 3, 2009- CHIP Webcast: "Affordable Health Care for Kids: Moving Forward Without Delay" (PDF, 24KB) Attachment D (December 2008) (PDF, 290 KB) Carrier/FI Directory (PDF, 338KB) A/B MAC Jurisdiction Map (PDF, 32KB)
Related Links Inside CMS
Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum Mailing List Sign-Up CMS Home Health Agency Center CMS Hospice Center CMS DMEPOS Center DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Overview of DMEPOS Fee Schedule Details for Post Acute Care Payment Reform Demonstration (PAC-PRD) Survey & Certification HCPCS General Information OASIS
Related Links Outside CMS
Medicare Supplier Directory Home Health Compare Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Product Ordering Page Government Printing Office Federal Register CMS Survey and Certification Group Training Website

Page Last Modified: 06/23/2009 4:06:55 PM
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