Hospice Insights: The Law and Beyond

Do You Have a Backup? Building Redundancies Into Your Written Certification Process

Episode Summary

The hospice certification of terminal illness is one of the documents most scrutinized by Medicare contractors, and it is of critical importance since an invalid certification can impact Medicare payment for the patient’s entire 90 or 60-day benefit period. If overlooking any of the multitude of certification requirements is human, then building redundancies into your certification documentation to avoid claim denials or a repayment obligation is divine. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Andrew Brenton share key ideas for putting yourself in a more favorable position in the event your best-laid written certification plans go awry.

Episode Notes

The hospice certification of terminal illness is one of the documents most scrutinized by Medicare contractors, and it is of critical importance since an invalid certification can impact Medicare payment for the patient’s entire 90 or 60-day benefit period. If overlooking any of the multitude of certification requirements is human, then building redundancies into your certification documentation to avoid claim denials or a repayment obligation is divine. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Andrew Brenton share key ideas for putting yourself in a more favorable position in the event your best-laid written certification plans go awry.