Hospice Insights Podcast - Hospice Audit Updates: Hospices Fare Well in Federal Court
Hospice Insights Podcast - AI in Action: Exploring How AI Is Helping Hospices Do Things in New Ways
Hospice Insights Podcast - Election Inspection: Be Proactive to Avoid Costly Election Statement Denials
Hospice Insights Podcast - Still Number One: Healthcare Fraud Remains Central in DOJ’s White Collar Enforcement Plan
Podcast - Innovations and Insights in the Palliative Care Space
Hospice Insights Podcast - Hospice Audit Updates: David Beats Goliath
Hospice Insights Podcast - But Wait: Things to Consider Before Adopting AI Tools In Your Hospice
AGG Talks: Home Health & Hospice Podcast - Episode 10: Anti-Kickback Compliance for Hospice and Skilled Nursing Providers
Hospice Insights Podcast - One Size Doesn’t Fit All: Figuring Out What is Your Hospice+
Hospice Insights Podcast - Psychedelics and End of Life Care: Understanding the Legal Landscape
AGG Talks: Home Health & Hospice Podcast - Episode 9: The Impact of AI and Prior Authorizations on Home Health and Hospice
Hospice Insights Podcast - Controlling the Narrative: A New Tactic for Auditors and ALJs
AGG Talks: Home Health & Hospice Podcast - Episode 8: Hospice Special Focus Program: Pumping the Brakes
Hospice Insights Podcast - Upping the Ante: Will CMS’s Enhanced Oversight Efforts Cause Hospices to Fold?
Hospice Insights Podcast - A Year in Review: Reflections and Hopes for the Future
Hospice Insights Podcast - What a Difference No Deference Makes: Courts No Longer Bow to Administrative Agencies
AGG Talks: Home Health & Hospice Podcast - Episode 7: OIG Report Reveals Gaps in Hospice PRF Compliance: What Providers Need to Know
Hospice Insights Podcast - Meet the New Laws, Same as the Old Laws: Overpayment Recoupment Update
AGG Talks: Home Health & Hospice Podcast - Episode 6: Navigating the Audit Maze: Insights From Northeast Georgia Health System
Hospice Insights Podcast - What's Good and Bad in Hospice Right Now: A Conversation with Greg Grabowski, Partner at Hospice Advisors
In this episode, AGG Healthcare attorneys Bill Dombi and Jason Bring discuss recent OIG guidance on hospice and skilled nursing facility relationships, focusing on anti-kickback risks and fraud concerns. They cover key issues...more
News Briefs - Congressional Extension of Telehealth Waivers Left in Limbo - Pandemic-era telehealth waivers that allowed providers to expand their virtual care footprint will end this year unless Congress takes action. The...more
Looking for a simple, easy-to-implement way to lower your risk of overpayments? We have one on this week’s podcast!...more
Below is Alston & Bird’s Health Care Week in Review, which provides a synopsis of the latest news in health care regulations, notices, and guidance; federal legislation and congressional committee action; reports, studies,...more
On Thursday, April 20, 2023, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released ownership data for all Medicare-certified hospice and home health agencies on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)...more
Hear directly from the enforcement community - Want to gain insight into properly monitoring, detecting, investigating, and managing violations? Join us virtually at HCCA’s Annual Healthcare Enforcement Compliance...more
In the wake of the government-wide sequestration cuts in 2011, the hospice industry was not spared. Medicare hospice payments were reduced by two percent in accordance with a sequestration order issued March 1, 2013, pursuant...more
What does Medicare cover? What are the costs of Medicare? What happens if you forget to enroll for Medicare? Medicare is the federal health insurance program for people in the United States who are over the age of 65 or...more
Last week CMS issued a new round of regulatory waivers and rule changes in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, including its Interim Final Rule with comment period, CMS-5531-IFC. The key changes relax certain...more
On September 5, 2019, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (“CMS”) released a final rule with comment period entitled, “Program Integrity Enhancements to the Provider Enrollment Process” (the “Final Rule”). The...more
Earlier this month, the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (OIG) released two reports regarding its concerns and recommendations related to quality of care at hospice facilities....more
The Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) recent report, “Vulnerabilities in the Medicare Hospice Program Affect Quality Care and Program Integrity: An OIG Portfolio,” calls out a number of areas where the OIG identified room...more
It is understandable but unfortunate that family members frequently hesitate to broach the subject of end of life care. Instead of avoiding the subject, have a sensitive and frank discussion of hospice as a vehicle for...more
Last week, the Department of Health and Human Services – Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) released a portfolio report identifying multiple vulnerabilities in the Medicare Hospice Program (the “Hospice Portfolio Report”),...more
In July 2018, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a report entitled, Vulnerabilities in the Medicare Hospice Program Affect Quality Care and Program Integrity...more
Two recent settlements highlight important Medicare hospice program requirements and the need to remain vigilant about compliance with Medicare program rules....more
On April 24 and 27, 2018, CMS launched its annual gaggle of proposed regulations – each with the theme of "Patients over Paperwork" – with the stated goal of "advanc[ing] the agency's priority of creating a patient-driven...more
Patients looking for hospice care can now get help from Medicare’s website. The agency’s new Hospice Compare site allows patients to evaluate hospice providers according to several criteria. The site is a good start, but...more
On June and July 17, 2017, the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG) released new Work Plan initiatives and, in doing so, announced its intent to update its Work Plan monthly, in lieu of a...more
The FCA continues to be the federal government’s primary civil enforcement tool for investigating allegations that healthcare providers or government contractors defrauded the federal government. In the coming weeks, we will...more
On November 10, 2016, the Office of Inspector General (“the OIG”) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (“DHHS”) is charged with ensuring the integrity of more than 100 programs administered by DHHS, including...more
On July 29, 2016, CMS released three separate final rules updating the fiscal year 2017 payment rates for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), hospices and inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). Payments will increase...more
I. REGULATIONS, NOTICES, & GUIDANCE - On April 21, 2016, CMS issued a proposed rule entitled, “Medicare Program: FY 2017 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Requirements.” This...more
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has released its Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2016. The annual work plan can provide valuable insights into the OIG’s planned areas of...more
In early November 2015, the Department of Health & Human Services’ Office of Inspector General (OIG) released its 2016 Work Plan, which includes projects specific to certain provider types. This alert will focus on the...more