The American Health Association estimated that about 500,000 nurses would leave the workforce by the end of 2022. Unfortunately, in response to this shortage, 3 South Florida based nursing schools fraudulently issued 7,600 fake nursing diplomas. To date, only 25 individuals have been charged as a result of search warrants issued in Delaware, New York, New…
Tag: OIG
Hospice Certification
As scrutiny of hospice organizations increase, it’s particularly important for hospices to ensure their certifications and recertifications of terminal illness meet all required elements. In the 2021 Medicare FFS Supplemental Improper Payment Data report of improper payments, the top cause for error was “insufficient documentation of the physician’s certification/recertification”. A few short months from now,…
Hospice Benefit Eligibility
Just last month, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced its intent to perform a nationwide review of hospice beneficiary eligibility. This action was in response to identified recent negative findings during individual provider audits by the Office of Audit Services. In their audits, they found a pattern of patients who did not meet eligibility…
Hospice Survey Reform
The HOSPICE Act passed out of the House on December 8, 2020. In the version of the bill that will pass as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, routine hospice survey frequency will remain permanently at 36 months (as opposed to 24 months as proposed by the House). The OIG made the following recommendations related…
Home Health Infection Control
The OIG will be interviewing corporate officers from the three largest home health agencies.
