Special Bulletin
June 19, 2019
BREAKING NEWS: CMS Announces Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Appeals Initiative Allowing for Voluntary Settlement of the Appeals Process
By Angela Phillips, PT
CMS agrees to settle appeals for IRF facilities following a two-year disputed with the industry. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced voluntary settlement options for inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) providers with claims that have not yet exhausted the Qualified Independent Contractor (QIC), Office of Medicare Hearings…
June 14, 2019
News Alert: Rural Tennessee hospital shuttered amid reported financial woes
By Mark Spivey
Two nearby rural facilities with the same owner remain open amid the crisis. A troubled rural Tennessee hospital has been forced to close. As reported by RACmonitor Thursday, local reports today indicate that Jamestown Regional Medical Center in northern Tennessee had its doors locked as of Thursday evening, with a…
Major realignment is scheduled for this weekend. As reported last week by RACmonitor, in a restructuring of the Beneficiary and Family-Centered Care Quality Improvement Organization (BFCC-QIO) jurisdictions, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) created 10 regions across the United States and awarded KEPRO, a BFCC-QIO, a new five-year…
The highest court in the land cited a failure by HHS to follow notice-and-comment obligations. In a ruling made public Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court has sided with hospitals that had sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) over a payment policy change. The 7-1 decision in…
May 23, 2019
News Alert: CMS Restructures BFCC QIO Regions: KEPRO, Livanta Lose Short-Stay and HWDRG Reviews
By Chuck Buck
A search for a national review HWDRG contractor is expected in the third quarter. In a restructuring of the Beneficiary and Family-Centered Care Quality Improvement Organization (BFCC-QIO) jurisdictions, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has created 10 regions across the United States and awarded KEPRO, a BFCC-QIO, a…
April 26, 2019
Rural health, innovation encompass two-pronged focus of 2020 IPPS proposed rule
By Mark Spivey
CMS pledging improved healthcare quality and expanded access for patients. The release of the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule for the 2020 fiscal year came with a bit of branding. “Rethinking Rural Health” and “Unleashing Innovations” were the two catchy slogans unveiled by the Centers for Medicare &…
Proposed rule calls amending regulations clarifying the determination as to whether a physician qualifies as a rehabilitation physician is made by the IRF. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a proposed rule for the inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) prospective payment system for the fiscal year 2020.…
April 2, 2019
News Alert: Ruling paves way for trial in landmark class-action suit over patient status
By Mark Spivey
Plaintiffs allege they were forced to pay thousands for SNF care following outpatient/observation status assignment. A federal judge has denied the government’s bid to put a stop to a landmark class-action lawsuit centering on patient status, paving the way for a trial expected to begin later this year. In Alexander…
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Allen Jost, PhDAlvin Gore, MD, CHCQM and Cathi Charlberg, LVN, CHCQMAmanda Gilliland, RN, BSNAmber Soucy, MSN, RNAndrew B. Wachler, Esq.Andrew B. Wachler, Esq. and Emma E. TrivaxAndrew H. Hughes, MD and Charles Locke, MD, CHCQM-PHYADVAndrew Wachler and Kaitlin NucciAndrew Wachler, Esq., and Sarah Hillegonds, Esq.Angela Phillips, PTAspen AlbrightBarbara Vandegrift, RN, BSN, MABecky Rodrian, CPC, CEMC, CBCS, MBSBenjamin Kartchner MD, CHCQM-PhyAdvBrian T. LandryChristina Panos, RHIA, CTRChristopher Halleman, DOChristopher J. Laney, Esq.Chuck BuckClark AnthonyColleen Morley, DNP, RN, CCM, CMAC, CMCN, ACM-RNDaniel Zirkman, MDDavid A. McKenzie, CAEDavid Jury MD, MSDavid M. Glaser, Esq.Delilah Davis, RN, BSN, CCADenise Coleman, LPNDenise Nash, MD, CCS, CIMDheeraj Mahajan, MD, FACPDuane Abbey, PhD, CFPEdward Roche, PhD, JDElizabeth C. Dunbar, MD, MBA, FACEP, CHCQM-PHYADVEllen Fink-Samnick MSW, ACSW, LCSW, CCM, CRPEllen Parucka Walker LCSW ACSWErica E. Remer, MD, FACEP, CCDSErin Diesel Roumayah, Esq.Frank D. Cohen, MPA, MBBGlenn Krauss, RHIA, BBA, CCS, CCS-P, CPUR, CCDS, C-CDI, PCS, FCS, C-CDAMGloryanne Bryant, RHIA, RHIT, CCS, CCDSGreg FordHolly Louie, RN, BSN, CHBMEJ. Paul Spencer, CPC, COCJanelle Ali-Dinar, PhDJeffrey D. Lehrman DPM, FASPS, MAPWCAJessica Forster, Esq.John K. Hall, MD, JD, MBA, FCLM, FRCPCJulia K. Brodt, PhDJuliet B. Ugarte Hopkins, MD, CHCQM-PHYADVKathleen K. Borchard, BSN, RN-ACMKathy Seward, MD, CHCQM-PHYADVKim T. Charland, BA, RHIT, CCSKnicole C. Emanuel Esq.Kristi Pollard, RHIT, CCS, CPC, CIRCC, AHIMA-approved ICD-10-CM/PCS trainerLaurie M. Johnson, MS, RHIA, FAHIMA AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS TrainerLeslie Marsh, RN, BS, MSN, MBALori O’Hara, MA, CCC-SLPMadison AllenMaggie Elehwany, JDMark SpiveyMarvin D Mitchell, RN, BSN, MBAMary Beth Pace, RN, BSN, MBA, ACM, CMACMary Inman, Esq. and Anne Hayes Hartman, Esq.Mary Inman, Esq. and Max Voldman, Esq.Matt Lambert, MDMatthew AlbrightMaureen Testoni Esq,Max Voldman, Esq.Melinda Battaile, MD, FHM, MMCI, CHCQM-PHYADV, CCDSMichael A. Salvatore, MD, FACPMichael KennedyMichael Rosen, Esq.Nancy J. Beckley, MB, MBA, CHCNena Scott, MSEd, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P, CCDSPhillip Angello, MDRalph Wuebker, MD, MBARichard “Dick” Beckley, YNS, USN, 1966-1970
