Second Face-To-Face Documentation Forum Scheduled

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will hold the second Special Open Door Forum on Wed., March 11 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on the Home Health Electronic Clinical Template and a Home Health Paper Clinical Template. As most, if not all, Certified Home Health Agencies (CHHAs) have experienced, having doctor's thoroughly document the reason for the Medicare home health benefit has been an ongoing issue. Again, the purpose of the forum is to review CMS consideration in the development of a voluntary home health paperclinical template. As per the announcement, a voluntary home health electronic clinical template has been in the development process for the past year.

CMS is hosting this series of special forum calls to provide an opportunity for physicians/practitioners, home health agencies and/or all other interested parties to provide feedback on both a paper clinical template and the electronic clinical template for home health services. 

As previously reported per CMS, "in fiscal year (FY) 2014, the Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) program found that more than half of the home health claims were paid improperly. One of the drivers of the home health error rate is inadequate documentation supporting the face-to-face requirement."

Please note that additional Special Open Door Forum calls on the templates will be held on Wed., April 8 and Wed., May 6 at the same time of 1 p.m.

Slides will be posted here.

Dial-In Number: 1-866-603-1774
Conference ID #: 78964233

Contact: Cheryl Udell, cudell@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871