450 likes | 607 Views
Notification of Hospital Discharge Appeal Rights Provider and QIO Responsibilities. Sally Johnson Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care.
E N D
Notification of Hospital Discharge Appeal RightsProvider and QIO Responsibilities Sally Johnson Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care This material is distributed by Arkansas Foundation for Medical Care, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Arkansas, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
What We Will Cover • Changes to the Important Message from Medicare (IM) • Changes in provider and Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) responsibilities and interactions
Inpatients on July 2 • Admissions and discharges starting Monday, July 2 • Inpatients on July 2 subject to new notice requirements before discharge
Important Message from Medicare • Standardized appeal and liability info • All Medicare patients and Medicare Advantage (MA) plan enrollees • All inpatient hospitals
Definitions • Hospital – includes any inpatient facility, except religious non-medical health care institutions • Discharge – a formal release of a patient from inpatient hospital level of care
All Medicare Beneficiaries • Original Medicare and Medicare Health Plan enrollees • Dual Eligible Medicare and Medicaid • Medicare Secondary Payer
Exclusions • Non-covered stay, benefit exhaustion • Change from inpatient to outpatient • ABN or ABN-type notice appropriate for these situations
IM Not Used For: • Swing beds • Outpatient departments (ED, observation)
Timing of Initial Copy • Within 2 days of inpatient admission; or • During pre-registration visit, but not more than 7 calendar days prior to admission
Timing of Follow-Up Copy • As soon as possible when discharge is planned, but no more than 2 days before • Avoid routine delivery of follow-up IM on day of discharge • At least 4 hours prior to discharge is ideal
Timing of Follow-Up Copy • Not required if initial copy given within 2 calendar days of discharge • Example: • Patient admitted on Monday • Given initial IM on Wednesday • Discharged on Friday
Timing of Follow-Up Copy • Initial copy given on 7th (during preadmission visit) • Admitted as inpatient on 10th • Discharged on 11th – IM given • follow-up copy must be given if more than 2 calendar days elapsed since initial copy delivered
Inpatient to Inpatient Transfers • If transferring to another acute inpatient care setting, follow-up copy of IM not required • Receiving facility (not receiving unit within same facility) delivers initial copy of IM again after transfer to a new facility
Communicate the Plan • Inform patients of transfer and discharge plans • Involve team if there are questions about transfer
Valid Delivery Requirements • Standardized Notice (CMS-R-193) found on CMS Beneficiary Notices Initiative (BNI) Website • Notice can’t be modified • Signed and dated, understood by patient or acceptable representative
Valid Delivery Requirements • Within mandated timeframes • Copy for patient; copy for record • If refuses, note date of refusal as date of receipt
Delivery to Representatives • For incompetent patient, use state guidelines to identify responsible person • In-person delivery of IM preferred
Delivery to a Representative • Hospital employee would be considered to have a conflict of interest for liability • Valid delivery to patient or representative required before liability can be assigned
Telephone Delivery to a Representative • Voice mail not acceptable • Provide complete explanation • Mail or fax notice on same day
Telephone Delivery to a Representative • Document all contacts in record • If unable to reach representative, send by delivery that requires signature • Date of delivery or date of refusal is date of notification
QIO Availability for Discharge Appeals • Accepts patient requests for discharge appeals 24 hours/day • Performs appeal reviews 7 days/week • Answering machine or voice mail after hours
Timely Patient Request for Appeal • Before midnight on the day of planned discharge • No patient liability during timely expedited appeal
Timely Patient Request • QIO notifies hospital or MA plan ASAP • Hospital or MA plan issues Detailed Notice (CMS-10066) to patient by noon of next day
Detailed Notice • Must be OMB approved notice Approval No. 0938-1019 • Standardized notice containing specific information
Timely Patient Request • By noon of next calendar day, hospital or MA plan provides “any and all” information QIO needs to make determination • Upon request, hospital or MA plan provides documentation to patient by next calendar day
Timely Patient Request • QIO determines “Valid Notice” of IM and Detailed Notice • Skilled nursing facility (SNF) placement coordinated with delivery of follow-up copy of IM within 2 days of discharge • Must have available SNF bed to assign liability
QIO Performs Review • Contacts involved parties for comments • Makes determination within 1 calendar day • Notifies facility, patient or representative, attending physician and MA plan • Phone call followed up in writing
Liability After Timely Request • If QIO agrees with discharge, patient liability begins at noon of day after QIO notification • If QIO disagrees with discharge, the stay continues to be covered by Medicare or the MA plan
Untimely Requests • Original Medicare beneficiary contacts QIO for untimely appeal • MA plan enrollee contacts MA plan with untimely request for discharge appeal
Untimely Appeal • QIO contacts hospital, patient and attending physician • Facility provides Detailed Notice to patient; information to QIO by noon of day after being contacted by the QIO
Untimely Requests • QIO makes determination and notifies hospital, patient and attending physician within 2 calendar days • Patient not protected from liability during untimely appeal
Untimely Requests • If patient leaves facility, can request appeal within 30 calendar days • Can request appeal at any time for good cause
Untimely Requests • Facility provides Detailed Notice to patient and all information needed to the QIO within 30 days of notification of request • QIO notifies parties within 30 days of receiving all information
No Appeal Requested • For Original Medicare provider issues a liability notice (Section 1879 of the SSA) • MA Plan would deliver notice to enrollee • Liability begins day after discharge ordered
Reconsiderations • Timely request by inpatient – noon of day following QIO notification • Provider may not bill until reconsideration determination • Untimely recon request follows standard claims appeal process
QIO Availability for HINNs • Accepts hospital requests for Preadmission/admission HINNs and Hospital-Requested Review for QIO concurrence during regular working hours • Performs these reviews Monday through Friday
Preadmission/Admission HINNs • Timeframes and liability protections unchanged • IM not appropriate unless later admitted to inpatient status
Preadmission/Admission HINNs • Revised model language • Same valid delivery requirements as for IM • Same reconsideration process
Hospital-Requested Review • QIO concurrence for discharge • Revised model language • Valid delivery required
Hospital-Requested Review • Hospital can request for Medicare beneficiary and for MA plan enrollee • Hospital provides information to QIO • QIO makes determination within 2 working days
Hospital-Requested Review • Patient becomes liable on noon of day after QIO notification • Hold IM associated with planned discharge • Follows same reconsideration process
Information for Providers • www.cms.hhs.gov/BNI • Under “Beneficiary Notices Initiative (BNI),” go to link for “Hospital Discharge Appeal Notices” • Check site often for updates • You may submit questions to Weichardt_ODF@cms.hhs.gov
Information for Providers • www.afmc.org • Click “Programs” then click Medicare Review Services. • Click “New! Revised Important Message” in box on right • Updates will be posted to this page
My contact information • Sally Johnson • Beneficiary Relations Director • 479-573-7632 • Fax: 479-649-0004 • Email: sjohnson@arqio.sdps.org