On Friday, July 15th, 2016, CMS issued Transmittal number 1681 to Publication 100-20.
Major Medicare provisions incorporated by this Transmittal include:
- Instructions notifying Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) of the availability of updated data and instructions on how to access such data for determining the disproportionate share adjustment for IPPS hospitals and the low income patient (LIP) adjustment for IRFs as well as payments as applicable for LTCH discharges for Federal Fiscal Year 2014 Cost Reports.
- Instructions that also provide guidance for accepting FY 2014 amended cost reports from hospitals requesting to revise Worksheet S-10 (i.e., cost reports starting on or after October 1, 2013 and prior to October 1, 2014) in light of CMS’s proposal to begin using Worksheet S-10 data to determine uncompensated care payments starting in FY 2018. This Transmittal will require providers to submit any S-10 amended data by September 30, 2016.
The full Transmittal is available at https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Transmittals/Downloads/R1681OTN.pdf
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Eric Swanson at eric@hfssoft.com.
CMS published the Preliminary Public Use File (PUF) for the FY 2017 wage index and occupational mix on 5/16/2016. This file reflects the Worksheet S-3, Parts II and III wage data from cost reports for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 (FY Beginning from 10/1/13 to 9/30/2014). Hospitals will have until September 2, 2016 to request revisions to the wage data posted in the May PUF.
The following file has been created and can be downloaded and used with the Wage Index Verification Tool for the Federal Fiscal Year 2018, Preliminary PUF:
FY 2018 May 16 2016 Wage Index PUF HFS Modified CSV 2552-10
CMS released the final FY 2017 wage index and occupational mix data PUFs on CMS Web page. Hospitals will have approximately 1 month to verify their data and submit correction requests to both CMS and their MAC to correct errors due to CMS or MAC mishandling of the final wage and occupational mix data.
The following file has been created and can be downloaded and used with the Wage Index Verification Tool for the final Federal Fiscal Year 2017 wage index data.
FY 2017 April 21 2016 Wage Index PUF HFS Modified CSV 2552-10
The Hospital, 2552-10 was updated to Transmittal 9 by CMS, on March 18, 2016. Transmittal 9 is effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2015.
Significant Transmittal 9 changes include:
- Addition of Worksheet S-2, Part I, line 37.01 and instructional changes to Worksheet E, Part A, to implement special payment provisions for Medicare-Dependent, Small Rural Hospitals (MDH) eligible for transitional hospital-specific payments. The November 13, 2015, Outpatient PPS Final Rule identified 8 MDH hospitals that were re-designated as Urban based on the adoption, of the new OMB delineations, however did not qualify to apply for rural status. These hospitals will qualify for a transitional HSP payment as follows:
o Discharges 1/1/2016 – 9/30/2016 – Federal rate plus two-thirds of 75% of the amount by which the Federal rate payments is exceeded by the HSR
o Discharges 10/1/2016 – 9/30/2017 – Federal rate plus one-third of 75% of the amount by which the Federal rate payments is exceeded by the HSR
- Worksheet S-2, Part I, line 122 was added to identify cost reports that contain “state health or similar taxes” and the location of those taxes on Worksheet A.
HFS is reviewing the changes and will submit a revised system for approval when a CMS test case is available. Transmittal 9 will not be required for full cost reporting periods ending 12/31/2015.
The full Transmittal is available at the CMS website:
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Transmittals/2016-Transmittals-Items/R9P240.html?DLPage=1&DLEntries=10&DLSort=1&DLSortDir=descending
If you have any questions, please contact Eric Swanson at eric@hfssoft.com.
We are excited to announce this year’s HFS Hospital Provider User Meeting will be in Denver, Colorado on October 13th and 14th. There will be a total of 16 CPE credits offered and registration will be $600 per person.
This meeting will be held at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. If you book your hotel room before September 9, 2016 and let them know you are with the Health Financial Systems group, you will receive the special room rate of $189 (plus tax).
Click here to book a room at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel or call (303)893-3333. The room rate is good until September 9, 2016.
We look forward to seeing you in Denver, Colorado in October!
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
Click here for a look at the proposed Agenda.
NEW: Download Presentations Online Before the Event
To conserve resources and protect the environment, HFS will no longer provide printed materials at our events free of charge. The materials will be available online for download before the event and may be viewed on your laptop/tablet. A link for downloading will be provided to attendees prior to the meeting. Hard copies can be ordered at time of registration but there will be an additional charge.
Please register for the meeting as soon as possible as we do have limited space. Contact us at support@hfssoft.com if you have any questions or comments regarding the upcoming HFS Hospital Provider User Meeting.
HFS has developed Beta software incorporating the draft forms and anticipates that CMS will release final forms and instructions in the spring of 2016. While no extension date has been established, MACs have been instructed not to request impacted cost reports until further notice.
HFS is working to make this a smooth transition. We currently have a beta system available for download at our website or through check for updates for clients that identified themselves as FQHC in the survey distributed 1/27/2016. Once CMS finalizes the forms we will submit for, hopefully, a quick approval and get you an approved system as soon as possible.
Please note that you can use the beta system to start 224-14 cost reports and that any data entered into the beta system will be retained when the system is updated for the approved version.
The HFS Beta System was developed based on the Draft forms published on the CMS website:
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing-Items/CMS-224-14.html?DLPage=1&DLEntries=10&DLFilter=cost%20report&DLSort=1&DLSortDir=descending
The new draft form is CMS-224-14 and will be effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2014. This effective date reflects the implementation date of the new FQHC PPS, required under the Affordable Care Act.
If you have any questions, please contact Eric Swanson at eric@hfssoft.com.
CMS published a revised Public Use File (PUF) for the FY 2017 wage index and occupational mix on 1/29/2016. This file reflects the Worksheet S-3, Parts II and III wage data from cost reports for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 (FY Beginning from 10/1/12 to 9/30/2013). This data has been desk reviewed and verified by the MACs before being published.
The following file has been created and can be downloaded and used with the Wage Index Verification Tool for the Federal Fiscal Year 2017, Proposed Rule PUF:
FY 2017 January 29 2016 Wage Index PUF HFS Modified CSV 2552-10
On September 4, 2015, CMS issued a Federal Register notice releasing a draft of revisions to the HHA Cost Report. The new draft form revisions are being proposed to accommodate the statutory requirement for hospice payment reform and the statutory requirement establishing a prospective payment system for Federally Qualified Health Centers in the ACA.
This draft was recently made available at the CMS website:
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Legislation/PaperworkReductionActof1995/PRA-Listing-Items/CMS-1728-94.html?DLPage=1&DLEntries=10&DLSort=1&DLSortDir=descending
Major proposed changes include:
- CMS is proposing that effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2014, HHA-based FQHCs would be required to complete the proposed free-standing Form CMS-224-14.
- CMS is proposing to add a Worksheet S-2-1, to replace the current requirement to file a separate Form CMS-339.
- CMS is proposing to eliminate the J Series, previously used for the reporting of Home Health based CORF services.
- CMS is proposing to add Worksheet S-5, Parts III and IV, to implement the new reporting for Hospice services effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2015.
- CMS is proposing to add an O Series of Worksheets, to implement the new reporting for Hospice services effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2015.
If you wish to comment on this draft, you may do so until November 3, 2015 at the following website:
http://www.regulations.gov/#!documentDetail;D=CMS_FRDOC_0001-1767
The Hospice, 1984-14 system was updated to Transmittal 2 by CMS, on June 30, 2015. Transmittal 2 has the same effective date as Transmittal 1, for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2014. HFS was approved for Transmittal 2 on August 6, 2015 and the software was released August 7, 2015.
Transmittal 2 changes include:
If you have any questions, please contact Eric Swanson at eric@hfssoft.com.