ASAP
A Weekly Publication Of HCA Home Care Association of New York State
Legislative Issues Public Policy
News
Volume 20, No. 37 October 23, 2015
HCA Brings Reimbursement Issues to Legislature HCA met with key Senate and Assembly offices this week for assistance and intervention on urgent needs in home care services reimbursement. Restoration of episodic rates HCA asked for intervention to reign-back the Department of Health’s 30-percent rate cut to home care under its rebasing of the Episodic Payment System (EPS). Both houses of the Legislature confirmed that the Department’s rate cut is contrary to the understanding and fiscal projections for rebasing in the adopted 201516 State Budget. See LEGISLATURE p. 4 Errors Impact Claims that Span
Oct. 1 ICD-10 Implementation Your Advocacy Needed on FLSA Overtime Pay Issue! As reported in last week’s ASAP, HCA is seeking funding to support new federal overtime requirements that went into effect last week. The new federal requirements prohibit third-party employers from using the “companionship exemption” of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for home care aides, resulting in higher overtime costs for aide services in New York State.
Inside ASAP
See FLSA p. 2
HCA Brings Reimbursement Issues to Legislature................................1 Your Advocacy Needed on FLSA OT Pay Issue!.....................................1 Errors Impact Claims that Span Oct. 1 ICD-10 Implementation............1 DOH Posts Consumer Directed FLSA BIP Payment Program FAQs......3 Member Hiring Announcement.............................................................3 Congress Passes PACE Expansion........................................................4 No Social Security COLA for 2016.........................................................4 Quality Symposium is HCA’s Final BIG Conference of 2015..................5 HCA Holds Rochester and Utica Meet-Ups.........................................6 Status of Medicare Part B Premiums.....................................................6 Revised Rule Issued on Payroll Debit Cards..........................................6 QIVAPP Developments..........................................................................7 Urge Governor’s Support for “Essential Personnel” Bill......................7 October Emergency Preparedness Info, Resources..............................8 Value Based Payment Committee Work Progresses.............................8 Flu Vaccination Report Opens on Nov. 2...............................................9 New ICD-10 FAQs Added....................................................................10 DOH Proposes Rule on Immediate Needs for Personal Care.............11 New G-Codes for Hospice, Home Health...........................................11 Care At Home Waiver Extension..........................................................12 New Training Modules for Hospices on Submitting Quality Data......13 Publications...........................................................................................................13
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that home health claims with episodes spanning the October 1 ICD10 implementation date are being incorrectly rejected and returned to providers. National Government Services (NGS) and other contractors are suspending these claims, including those already rejected and returned to providers. They are currently manually processing these claims upon receipt, bypassing the edit causing the problem, until a system fix is implemented. No provider action is required; HCA will update the membership as more information becomes available. For questions, please contact NGS’s Provider Contact Center at 1-866-275-3033.
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