1. LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: THE IMPACT ACT OF 2014On October 6, 2014, President Obama signed into law the “Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014” or IMPACT Act. The bill resulted from a bipartisan, … [Read more...] about October 2014 – The Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act) & Other Isues
Alliance Issue Brief
August 2014 – Restructuring of Medicare’s Quality Improvement Organizations (QIO) & Other Issues
1. CHANGES TO MEDICARE’S QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ORGANIZATIONS (QIOs) CMS has restructured its Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) Program to separate the beneficiary complaint review functions from the quality improvement … [Read more...] about August 2014 – Restructuring of Medicare’s Quality Improvement Organizations (QIO) & Other Issues
June 2014 – Losing Your Voice: Medicare Coverage of Speech Generating Devices During Part A Stays & Other Issues
1. MEDICARE’S COVERAGE OF CAPPED RENTAL ITEMS DURING PART A INSTITUTIONAL STAYS: LOSING ACCESS TO SPEECH GENERATING DEVICES (SGDs)CMS Changes Its Coverage of Speech Generating DevicesThrough a new interpretation of longstanding … [Read more...] about June 2014 – Losing Your Voice: Medicare Coverage of Speech Generating Devices During Part A Stays & Other Issues
April, 2014 – Ongoing Medicare Appeal Concerns & Other Issues
1. LITIGATION UPDATESJimmo v. Sebelius (Improvement Standard) No. 11-cv-17 (D.Vt. filed 1/18/11). As reported during previous Alliance calls, the Settlement in Jimmo was approved on January 24, 2013 during a scheduled fairness … [Read more...] about April, 2014 – Ongoing Medicare Appeal Concerns & Other Issues
February 2014 – Improvement Standard Update: Re-Review of Previously Denied Claims Pursuant to Jimmo and Other Issues
1. PRESENTATION: RE-REVIEW OF PREVIOUSLY DENIED CLAIMS PURSUANT TO THE JIMMO SETTLEMENTIn addition to revising Medicare manual provisions to now allow Medicare coverage for skilled maintenance care, the Settlement Agreement in Jimmo v. … [Read more...] about February 2014 – Improvement Standard Update: Re-Review of Previously Denied Claims Pursuant to Jimmo and Other Issues
December 2013 – Improvement Standard Update: CMS Issues Manual Provisions Pursuant to Jimmo, and Other Issues
1. PRESENTATION: CMS MANUAL PROVISIONS ISSUED PURSUANT TO THE JIMMO SETTLEMENTThe Center for Medicare Advocacy is pleased to announce that the Medicare Policy Manuals have been revised pursuant to the Jimmo vs. Sebelius Settlement. … [Read more...] about December 2013 – Improvement Standard Update: CMS Issues Manual Provisions Pursuant to Jimmo, and Other Issues
October, 2013 – Medicare Annual Election period, and the ACA Marketplaces and Other Issues
1. PRESENTATION: MEDICARE ANNUAL ELECTION PERIOD & THE MARKETPLACESMedicare Annual Coordinated Election Period (ACEP) – 10/15/13 – 12/7/13 During the Annual Coordinated Election Period (ACEP) people with … [Read more...] about October, 2013 – Medicare Annual Election period, and the ACA Marketplaces and Other Issues
August, 2013 – Update on Hospital Observation Status and Other Issues
1. PRESENTATION: UPDATE ON HOSPITAL OBSERVATION STATUS Observation status is getting a lot of attention from Congress, the media, and researchers. The bipartisan federal legislation, the Improving Access to Medicare … [Read more...] about August, 2013 – Update on Hospital Observation Status and Other Issues
June, 2013 – New Hospital Discharge Planning Guidance & Other Updates
1. PRESENTATION CMS Issues New Hospital Discharge Planning Guidance On May 17, 2013, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an update of Appendix A of the State Operations Manual (SOM) revising its … [Read more...] about June, 2013 – New Hospital Discharge Planning Guidance & Other Updates
April 2013 – Ongoing Due Process Concerns In Medicare Appeals
And Proposals for the Future of Medicare 1. PRESENTATIONS MEDICARE’S ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW PROCESS - ONGOING DUE PROCESS CONCERNS & POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS During our October 2012 Alliance call, we discussed that through the … [Read more...] about April 2013 – Ongoing Due Process Concerns In Medicare Appeals