Health Law Blog - Healthcare Legal Issues

Archive for December, 2016

Off-Campus Provider-Based Departments Neutrality

Friday, December 23rd, 2016

Off-Campus Provider-Based Departments Site-Neutrality

The 21st Century Cures Act contains new provisions that prohibits the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) from paying different rates for services provided in for services furnished in off-campus provider-based department (PBD) of a hospital.    The CY 2015 Outpatient Prospective Payment System Final Rule (79 FR 66910-66914) created a HCPCS modifier for hospital claims that is to be reported with every code for outpatient hospital items and services furnished in an off-campus provider-based department of a hospital. This 2-digit modifier was be added to the HCPCS annual file as of January 1, 2015, with the label ‘‘PO.’’ Reporting of this new modifier was voluntary for CY 2015, with reporting required beginning on January 1, 2016.

The 21st Century Cures Act revises this policy beginning January 1, 2017, with some exceptions. One exception is for OPBDs that billed for services furnished as of November 2, 2015 (the date the law was enacted). The 21st Century Cures Act expounds on this exception and permits providers to be grandfathered under the old rules if the Secretary received a properly filed provider-based attestation for the site from the provider prior to December 2, 2015.  Furthermore, if  an off-campus provider-based department was in development as of November 2, 2015 and made a timely filing of a certification to CMS,  the old rules can be applied even though the department was not operating as of the cut-off date.

John H. Fisher, CHC, CCEP is a health care attorney at the Ruder Ware law firm.  John is actively involved representing clients on legal and compliance issues.  He has represented clients in creating compliance programs and in a variety of operational issues.  He also assists providers in addressing risk areas and potential compliance issues including preparing self-disclosure and working with the government to resolve disclosed compliance issues and overpayment.  John consults as a subject matter expert and provider legal backup to other attorneys and law firms from around the country on specialized compliance, regulatory and health care issues.  John has followed legal issues impacting health care provider for over 25 years.  As such, he is knowledgeable on the current legal standards as well as the historic perspective that is often relevant to an appropriate analysis.  

President Signs the 21st Century Cures Act

Wednesday, December 21st, 2016

21st Century Cures Act Signed by President Obama

21st Century Cures ActOn  December 13, 2016, signed the 21st Century Cures Act into law.  The Cures Act was perhaps the most significant piece of health care related legislation since the passage of the Affordable Care Act.  The Cures Act had strong bi-partisan support in both houses and included a wide variety of miscellaneous provisions that are intended to improve and modernize the health care system.  Perhaps the most forward looking provisions in the Cures Act relate to mental health and substance abuse treatment and advancement of biomedical research.  However, the Cures Act contains numerous subject area revisions that expand well beyond these two areas.  Just a few of the areas covered by the Cures Act include the following:

 

  • Mental Health and Substance Abuse
  • Funding of Opioid Addiction Services
  • Revising Documentation Related to the Delivery of Health Care Link
  • New OIG Civil Monetary Penalties for Grant Funding or Contracts
  • Revisions to the Site of Service Differential for Off-Campus Provider-Based Departments
  • Changes to Documentation Requirements to Facilitate Electronic Health Record Utilization

These are just of few of the new statutory provisions that were included in the Act.  We will continue to examine the legislation for items of significance, so be sure to check back to the Health Law Blog for more complete coverage of this important legislation.

 

John H. Fisher

Health Care Counsel
Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C.
500 First Street, Suite 8000
P.O. Box 8050
Wausau, WI 54402-8050

Tel 715.845.4336
Fax 715.845.2718

Ruder Ware is a member of Meritas Law Firms Worldwide

Search
Disclaimer
The Health Care Law Blog is made available by Ruder Ware for educational purposes and to provide a general understanding of some of the legal issues relating to the health care industry. This site does not provide specific legal advice and you should not use the information contained on this site to address your specific situation without consulting with legal counsel that is well versed in health care law and regulation. By using the Health Care Law Blog site you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and Ruder Ware or any individual attorney. Postings on this site do not represent the views of our clients. This site links to other information resources on the Internet; these sites are not endorsed or supported by Ruder Ware, and Ruder Ware does not vouch for the accuracy or reliability of any information provided therein. For further information regarding the articles on this blog, contact Ruder Ware through our primary website.