By: VNAA Education and Quality Team on 12/13/2013The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Hospice Item Set (HIS) fact sheet intended to provide a general overview of the HIS. The fact sheet covers HIS background information, possible steps for implementing the HIS, HIS completion and submission timeframes, and additional HIS resources. Hospices will begin using the HIS for all patients on July 1, 2014. Hospices will submit two HIS records for each patient admitted to their organization, an HIS-Admission record and an HIS-Discharge record. The HIS-Admission contains both administrative items for patient identification and clinical items for calculating the seven quality measures. The HIS-Discharge is a limited set of administrative items also used for patient identification, as well as discharge information, which will be used primarily to determine patient exclusions for some of the seven quality measures. To access the fact sheet, click here.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the full implementation of the Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS) edits on ordering/referring providers in Medicare Part B, DME, and Part A home health agency (HHA) claims. Phase 2 denial edits will begin January 6, 2014. These edits will check the following claims for a valid individual National Provider Identifier (NPI) and deny the claim when this information is invalid:
- Claims from suppliers of Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) for ordered DMEPOS; and
- Claims from Part A Home Health Agencies (HHAs).
Click here to read the PECOS announcement.
2014 HIS Training Sessions
CMS will host a series of provider trainings for the HIS in February and May 2014.
Trainings will be divided into two sessions:
- HIS data collection training: will be held over two half-day sessions on Feb. 4 and 5, 2014 in the afternoon.
- This training will be geared towards teaching hospice providers how to complete the HIS-Admission and HIS-Discharge. The training will cover each item in the HIS, including instruction on how to complete each item, examples for each item, and a question and answer session.
- The training will be video-streamed live online on Feb. 4 and 5. The training will also be video recorded and will be posted on the CMS HQRP website at a later date for provider viewing and download. Limited on-site attendance at this training will also be available.
- HIS Technical training: will be held in May 2014, exact date TBD.
- This technical training for hospice providers and vendors will cover topics such as registration, obtaining user IDs, submitting files to the QIES ASAP system, and reviewing final validation reports. Details about the date, time, and delivery method of this training are not yet available. Providers should check the CMS HQRP website (link below) for updates.
Providers cannot yet register for either the HIS data collection or the HIS technical training sessions. Further details about HIS training registration processes will be posted on the CMS HQRP website as they become available. Providers should visit the CMS HQRP website on a regular basis for the most up-to-date information: http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/Hospice-Quality-Reporting/index.html?redirect=/Hospice-Quality-Reporting/