The HHA, 1728-94 was updated to Transmittal 17 by CMS, on October 7, 2016. Transmittal 17 is effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2015. HFS was approved for Transmittal 17 on January 30, 2017 and anticipates the release of updated software February 10, 2017. HFS will be hosting a WebEx on the 1728-94 Changes, System release and other updates on March 1, 2017.
Transmittal 17 was primarily to implement the statutory requirement for hospice payment reform in §3132 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and to incorporate data previously reported on the Provider Cost Report Reimbursement Questionnaire, Form CMS-339.
Changes include:
- Addition of Worksheet S-2-1, to include questions previously required in Form CMS-339
- Removed obsolete Worksheets S-6 and J-1 through J-4.
- Removed obsolete Worksheets RH-1 through RH-2.
- Removed obsolete Worksheets FQ-1 through FQ-2.
- Addition of Worksheets S-5 Parts III & IV and Worksheets O through O-8 for any HHA based hospice with a cost reporting period beginning on or after October 1, 2015 AND ENDING on or after September 30, 2016.
- Effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2014, HHA-based FQHCs will be required to complete a separate Form CMS-224-14.
This release updates the HFS 1728-94 to the HFS .mcrx file format and updated platform. This is backwards compatible. Users will receive notification when opening their existing .mcr files that the files will be converted to the new platform. No data will be lost and the user functionality will be the same. Of course, if you have any problems please contact us right away.
The transmittal is available at the CMS website:
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Transmittals/2016-Transmittals-Items/R17p232.html?DLPage=2&DLEntries=10&DLFilter=R17&DLSort=1&DLSortDir=ascending
The Skilled Nursing Facility, 2540-10 was updated to Transmittal 7 by CMS, on August 19, 2016. Transmittal 7 is effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2015.
The primary purpose of the transmittal was to incorporate statutory reporting requirements to facilitate hospice payment reforms pursuant to Section 3132 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA). In addition, this transmittal requires SNF facilities with FQHC units to file a separate Form 224-14 cost report for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2014.
HFS was approved for Transmittal 7 on October 21, 2016. Software is in testing and will be released in the next week. The full transmittal is available at the CMS website:
https://www.cms.gov/Regulations-and-Guidance/Guidance/Transmittals/Downloads/R7PR241.pdf
If you have any questions, please contact Eric Swanson at eric@hfssoft.com.
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 a revised final FY 2017 wage index and occupational mix data PUFs on the CMS Web page, July 29, 2016. This file reflects provider correction requests 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 July 29 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
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
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.