Health Law Blog - Healthcare Legal Issues

Archive for the ‘Long Term Care’ Category

Health Law Firm Opens Green Bay Office

Tuesday, May 1st, 2018

Green Bay Health Care Lawyer – Opening Office in Green Bay Wisconsin

I just wanted to let readers of our health care blog know that Ruder Ware will be opening a Green Bay office and that three Green Bay attorneys will be joining our firm. This will provide us with a presence in the Green Bay/Appleton Markets that will enhance our community presence and enable us to better serve our client in eastern Wisconsin. Our health care and compliance practice with be greatly enhanced as a result of this move.

This move will provide a local platform through which we can better serve our health care clients.

Health Care Law Practice – Green Bay Health Lawyers Ruder Ware

Ruder Ware has a long history of representing health care clients.  The firm recognizes that the highly regulated and complex nature of the industry demands the attention of a team of attorneys who, as a group, monitor constantly evolving laws and regulations and their impact on our health care clients.  At Ruder Ware, we offer a full-service solution to clients as our focus team consists of health care, business, employment, and litigation attorneys with knowledge of the health care industry.   As a result, we are able to take best practices from other industries and apply them to the health care industry, thereby increasing the ability to respond promptly to the rapidly changing health care environment.

Members of the focus team have served on the governing bodies of various health care organizations.  This service has provided our attorneys with the opportunity to counsel the health care community.  

Our dedicated team of attorneys represents health care providers in various matters including:

 Health Care Business Transactions and Corporate Law

Our attorneys have substantial expertise representing various health care providers such as:

Below is the official press release:

Media Contact:
Jamie Schaefer
COO
Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C.
P: 715.845.4336
E: jschaefer@ruderware.com

For Immediate Release

Attorneys Ronald Metzler, Christopher Pahl, and Chad Levanetz to join
Ruder Ware at its new Green Bay Office

WAUSAU, WI – April 27, 2018 – Ruder Ware is pleased to announce the opening of its Green Bay office and that Attorneys Ronald Metzler, Christopher Pahl, and Chad Levanetz will be joining the firm. The new office will be located at 222 Cherry Street, Green Bay, Wisconsin, which is the current location of Metzler, Timm, Treleven, S.C.

Attorney Ron Metzler – Having practiced law for over 30 years, Ron is a well-respected and well-known commercial attorney with close ties to the banking industry.

Attorney Chris Pahl – With his strong ties to the Green Bay community, Chris has built his practice around real estate development and condominium law as well as commercial transactions and estate planning.

Attorney Chad Levanetz – A seasoned litigation attorney, Chad counsels clients in the areas of real estate, construction, and general business disputes.

Stew Etten, Ruder Ware managing partner, stated, “Ruder Ware is always looking for outstanding attorneys to join our firm. With the opportunity to add Attorneys Metzler, Pahl, and Levanetz, the time was right to open a Green Bay office. We’re very excited to have attorneys of their caliber join our team of professionals.”

About Ruder Ware
Founded in 1920, Ruder Ware is the largest law firm headquartered north of Madison. With offices in Wausau, Eau Claire, and Green Bay over 40 attorneys provide legal and business advice to clients with operations of all sizes. Areas of practice include: Employment, Benefits & Labor Relations, Litigation & Dispute Resolution, Business Transactions, Trusts & Estates, and Fiduciary Services. Ruder Ware, Business Attorneys for Business Success. www.ruderware.com

Media Contact:
Jamie Schaefer
COO
Ruder Ware, L.L.S.C.
P: 715.845.4336
E: jschaefer@ruderware.com

RCS-1 Model Worksheet Gives a Glimpse of a World Without RUG

Monday, March 12th, 2018

RCS-1 Sample Worksheet

Time Is Running Out on RUG System for Skilled Nursing Facility Reimbursement

It is currently anticipated that the RUG system, which is currently used to calculate reimbursement for Medicare Part A skilled nursing services, will be changed over the next year.  CMS is currently considering a new Resident Classification System that will completely change the way SNFs are reimbursed for their services.

Providers are getting glimpses of what may be included in the new calculation system.  CMS issued a draft sample worksheet using the RCS-1 system.  The stated purpose is to give providers a description of how the new system would work.  The worksheet gives a description of how a manual calculation would take place using the RCS-I methodology.

The sample draft worksheet that was issued by CMS is available here.  RCS_I_Logic-508_Final

New TEP Report Posted On Quality Measures for Long-Term Care

Tuesday, January 23rd, 2018

Development and Maintenance of Quality Measures for Long-Term Care – Hospital Quality Reporting Program (LTCH QRP)

Personal Care Agency FraudThe technical expert panel (TEP) has published a new summary report covering the Development and Maintenance of Quality Measures for Long-Term Care Hospital Quality Reporting Program.  The new report related to a meeting of the TEP that was held on Tuesday, March 28, 2017 focusing on   current LTCH QRP quality and resource use measures.  The objective was to report on existing measures and to make recommendations for future measures.

The new TEP Report can be accessed on the  TEPs webpage.

Other reports on that page include:

  • Claims-Only and Hybrid Hospital-Wide (All-Condition, All-Procedure) Risk-Standardized Mortality Measures
  • Development of the Hospice Quality Reporting Program HEART Comprehensive Patient Assessment Instrument
  • Quality Measure Development: Supporting Efficiency and Innovation in the Process of Developing CMS Quality Measures
  • Development of Outpatient Outcome Measures for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)
  • Development and Maintenance of Quality Measures for Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP)
  • Development and Maintenance of Post-Acute Care Cross-Setting Standardized Patient Assessment Data
  • Inpatient Psychiatric Facility (IPF) Outcome and Process Measure Development and Maintenance
  • Quality Measure Development (QMD): Dual Enrollees, Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS), and Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP).
  • Task: Technical Expert Panel: Medicaid Innovation Accelerator Program (IAP)-Substance Use Disorder, Beneficiaries with Complex Needs, and Physical-Mental Health Integration
  • Hospital Inpatient and Outpatient Process and Structural Measure Development and Maintenance (Hospital-MDM)
  • Development and Maintenance of Quality Measures for Long-Term Care Hospital Quality Reporting Program (LTCH QRP)

 

DOJ Skilled Nursing Facility Settlement Involving Rehab – Highest Ever

Thursday, December 28th, 2017

Skilled Nursing Facility Single Highest False Claims Act Settlements to Date

Personal Care Agency Fraud2017 saw the largest recovery from a skilled nursing facility under the False Claim Act.  Life Care Centers of America Inc. and its owner agreed to pay $145 million to settle allegations that it caused skilled nursing facilities to submit false claims for rehabilitation therapy services that were not reasonable, necessary, or skilled.  The government’s case alleged that Life Care instituted corporate-wide policies and practices designed to place beneficiaries in the highest level of Medicare reimbursement.  High reimbursement categories were encouraged irrespective of the clinical needs of the patients.  The case alleged that this resulted unreasonable and unnecessary therapy to to be provided to many beneficiaries.

OIG 2017 Annual Work Plan

Monday, January 23rd, 2017

OIG Annual Work Plan for 2017 – Topics Covered

The Health and Human services Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently released its 2017 Annual Work Plan.  Work planning is an ongoing project within the OIG.  Every year, the OIG publishes a work plan that consolidates the OIG audits and evaluations that are being conducted or planned within the organization.  The annual work plan has become a source that compliance officers look to as a tool for the identification of potential risk areas or areas of emphasis within their organization.  It is obviously not the only source for identifying compliance risk areas, but is certainly one reliable source that providers can draw on when setting their annual compliance priorities.

The 2017 OIG Work Plan can be download through the OIG site.

Ruder Ware’s health care group will continue to put out blogs and articles on various issues identified in the 2017 Annual Work Plan.  We will focus primarily on issues that were introduced for the first time in this year’s plan.

A listing of some of the issues addressed in the 2017 annual work plan include:

Hyperbolic Oxygen Therapy Services – Provider Reimbursement in Compliance with Federal Regulations

Incorrect Medical Assistance Days Claimed by Hospital

Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Outlier Payments

Case Review of Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital Patients Not Suites for Intensive Therapy

Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy

Outpatient Outlier Payments for Short-Stay Claims

Comparison of Provider-Based and Freestanding Clinics

Reconciliation of Outlier Payments

Hospital Use of Outpatient Stays Under Medicare’s Two Midnight Rule

Case Review of Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital Patients Not Suited for Intensive Therapy

Medicare Costs Associated with Defective Medical Device

Payment Credits for Replaced Medical Device That Were Implanted

Medicare Payment for Overlapping Part A Inpatient Claims and Part B Outpatient Claims

Selected Inpatient and Outpatient Billing Requirements

Duplicate Graduate Medical Education Payments

Indirect Medical Education Payments

Outpatient Dental Claims

Nationwide Review of Cardiac Catheterization and Endomyocardial Biopsies

Payments for Patients Diagnosed with Kwahiorkor

Use if Hospital Wage Data Used to Calculate Medicare Payments

CMS Validation of Hospital-Submitted Quality Reporting Data

Long Term Care Hospitals – Adverse Events in Post-acute-Care for Medicare Beneficiaries

Hospital Preparedness and Response to Emerging Infectious Diseases

Nursing Home Complaint Investigation Data Brief

Skilled Nursing Facilities – Unreported Incidents of Potential Abuse and Neglect

Skilled Nursing Facility Reimbursement

Skilled Nursing Facility Adverse Even Screening Tool

National Background Checks for Long Term Care Employees – Mandatory Review

Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System Requirements

Potentially Avoidable Hospitalizations of Medicare and Medicaid Eligible Nursing Facility Residents

Medicare Hospice Vulnerabilities and Recommendations for Improvement

Review of Hospices Compliance with Medicare Requirements

Hospice Home Care – Frequency of Nurse On-Site Visits to Assess Quality of Care and Services

Comparing HHS Survey Documents to Medicare Claims Data

Home Health Compliance with Medicare Requirements

Part B Services During Non Part-A Nursing Home Stays; Durable Medical Equipment

Medicare Market Share of Mail-Order Diabetics Testing Strips

Positive Airway Pressure Device Supplier – Supplier Compliance Documentation Requirements for Frequency and Medical Necessity

Orthotic Braces – Reasonableness of Medicare payments Compared to Amount Paid by Other Payors

Osteogenesis Simulators – Lump Sum Purchase Versus Rental

Power Mobility Devices – Lump Sum Purchase Versus Rental

Competitive Machines and Related Drugs – Supplier Compliance with Payment Requirements

Access to Durable Medical Equipment in Competitive Bidding Areas

Orthotic Braces – Supplier Compliance with Payment Requirements

Nebulizer Machines and Related Drugs – Supplier Compliance with Payment Requirements

Access to Durable Medical Equipment in Competitive Bidding Areas

Monitoring Medicare Payments for Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory Tests – Mandatory Review

Medicare Payments for Transitional Care Management

Medicare Payments for Chronic Care Management

Data Brief on Financial Interests Reported Under the Open Payments Program

Skilled Nursing Facility and Nursing Home Initiatives – OIG 2017 Annual Work Plan

Thursday, January 19th, 2017

Skilled Nursing Facility and Nursing Home Initiatives
OIG 2017 Annual Work Plan

The OIG’s 2017 Annual Work Plan identified a few new areas of focus relating to nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities. Nursing home compliance officers should consider these newly identified issues when developing their annual compliance work plan.

Investigation of Serious Nursing Home Conditions

The Work Plan references a 2006 OIG report which found that state agencies failed to investigate in a timely manner some of the most serious complaints regarding nursing home conditions. The report referenced nursing home complaints involving immediate jeopardy and/or actual harm to residents. Complaints that rise to this level of severity are to be investigated by applicable state agencies within a 2 and 10 day timeframe. The Work Plan states that OIG will determine the extent to which State agencies investigate serious nuring home complaints within the required timeframes. Nursing homes can expect this to put more pressure on states that are responsible for these investigations to meet these timeframes on a more regular basis.

Unreported Incidents of Potential Abuse and Neglect

This newly identified topic relates to skilled nursing facilities. The OIG states that is plans to “assess” the incidence of abuse and neglect that occurs in skilled nursing facilities. It then plans to make a determination whether these incidents were properly reported and investigated as required under applicable Federal and state law. It appears that the OIG will be taking a sampled representation of cases to investigate. This conclusion can be garnered from reference in the Work Plan to “sampled” incident reports. The OIG plans to interview state officials to assure that incident reports that are examined under its sampling system were reported as required under law. The OIG plans to go even further and determine whether each reportable incident was investigated and subsequently prosecuted by the state.

This area could create some immediate risk exposure to facilities who are sampled as part of the OIG’s investigation. Facilities who are found to have failed to appropriately report potential abuse and neglect incidents could be subject to sanctions.

Review of SNF Use of Minimum Data Set Tool

the OIG states that it will review documentation of selected Skilled Nursing Facilities to determine whether Minimum Data Set Tool have been properly used to determine the severity of the patient’s condition. SNF reimbursment is tied to the severity of the patient’s condition through application of this tool. Periodic assessments must be performed on each patient by applicable skilled nursing facility. Improper use of the tool results in higher reimbursment than may be justified by the patient’s condition.

This issue was called out by previous OIG studies that indicated higher levels of reimbursement were being paid due to improper use of the Minimum Data Set Tool. Again, this is an area of specific concern for facilities who are lucky enough to be selected for audit by the OIG. If the facility is found to have improperly assessed patient severity, overpayment and potential penalties may be imposed. A finding on a small sample could also lead to expansion past the initially reviewed cases.

Major Revamp of Nursing Home Regulations Proposed By CMS

Friday, July 17th, 2015

Nursing Home Regulations Proposed Revision CMSThe Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has release new proposed regulations that would implement the first major rewrite of the long-term care Conditions of Participation in over 25 years. The proposed regulations were published on On July 13, 2015 in proposed form and are subject to a 60 day comment period before CMS issues them in final form. It is possible that CMS would revise the proposed rules based on input from the public duringthe comment period.

By changing nursing home regulations, CMS intends to improve the quality of care and safety affecting long-term care residents. The proposed changes would implement a number of safeguards including some protections that were required under the Affordable Care Act.

Providers involved in the nursing home industry should study the proposed regulations and may wish to provide comments to CMS to be addressed prior to finalization of the proposed regulations. Some of the items addressed in the proposed regulations include:

– Regulations regarding reduction of unnecessary hospital readmissions and infections

-increased quality of resident care

– New requirements to assure training of nursing home staff

– increased focus on patients with dementia and prevention of elder abuse.

– New rules regarding staffing decisions.

– Rules that help assure that staff members have the right skill sets and competencies to provide person-centered care to residents.

– Increased emphasis on resident preferences when developing care plans.

– Improvements to the process of care planning and discharge planning

– Increased authority of dietitians and therapy providers to write orders in their areas of expertise subject to physician delegatino and state law compliance.

– Requiring greater food choice for residents.

– Updating of infection prevention and control programs and establishment of new requirements for infection prevention and control.

– Enhancement of nursing home resident rights

More details can be obtained by reviewing the proposed regulations. We will be issuing additional updates regarding topics that are covered in the proposed regulations as we review the proposal in greated depth.

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.