The American population is aging. As the Baby Boomers begin to transition into a new phase of life, there will likely be a greater demand for home health care services. In an effort to help address this need, lawmakers passed the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM)....
Home Health Agencies
Six health care startups named on list of 50 ‘unicorns’
This month, The New York Times teamed up with the research firm CB Insights to select 50 startup businesses that they think will eventually be valued at $1 billion or more. Six of the startups, which they refer to as "unicorns," are part of the health care industry.A...
New York City officials’ crackdown on home health care agencies
The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is following the recent practices of the United States Department of Labor. The federal government recently identified a prevalence of labor law violations within the home health care agency industry. As such, the...
Two charged with health care fraud at mental health facility
The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) recently charged two individuals who worked with a mental health company with health care fraud and tax evasion. The DOJ has accused the two of diverting millions from the mental health agency into business bank accounts....
How will CMS’ proposed rule for 2019 impact hospitals?
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently filed its 2019 Medicare Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule. What is the IIPS? The IIPS is a system used by the government for payment of care provided by acute care hospitals. The...
CMS extends temporary moratorium on home health agencies in Texas
The Department of Health and Human Services Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced it will extend a statewide, temporary moratorium on enrollment of new non-emergency ambulance providers and home health agencies in Texas. The agency...
OIG most wanted list includes TX home health care company owner
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has named a former Texas health care company owner as one of its “most wanted.” The agency indicted the business owner on various criminal charges related to health care fraud, including conspiracy to pay kickbacks and...
Important Notice for Medicare Providers: Medicare Beneficiaries Identifier is replacing Social Security number
The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) of 2015 mandates removal of Social Security Number (SSN)-based HIC numbers from Medicare cards to address current risk of beneficiary medical identity theft. CMS will use a new MBI generator to assign over 150...
Medicare fraud convictions overturned
Sometimes things are not what they appear to be. Nevertheless, our legal system so often finds a way to deliver justice, even after someone has been accused and convicted of crimes. That is the case with a doctor and owner of a home health care business. The two were...
Married couple accused of forgery, more in alleged Medicare fraud
A federal grand jury recently indicted a married couple that runs an in-home health care company. Prosecutors allege that the couple and their company defrauded Medicare.The man and woman both insist that they are innocent of the 47 charges contained in the indictment...