Effective January 1, 2012 the federal government has mandated that all covered entities (including providers, clearinghouses and health plans) must transition to the latest version of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) electronic transaction standards and code sets. … Keep Reading

NEWARK N.J.—Home health-care provider Maxim Healthcare Services Co. has agreed to pay $150 million as part of a settlement with federal and state authorities to resolve criminal and civil allegations that it falsely billed government health-care benefits programs. The privately … Keep Reading

WASHINGTON – A Miami-area medical doctor who owned two medical offices pleaded guilty today for his participation in a $25 million home health Medicare fraud scheme, announced the Department of Justice, FBI and the Department of Health and Human Services … Keep Reading

Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is requiring that all providers and suppliers enrolled with Medicare prior to March 25, 2011, must revalidate their enrollment information. Basically, all providers (home health agencies included) that bill Medicare for services provided … Keep Reading

AARP CEO Barry Rand released a statement today in response to a report in the Washington Post that the White House was open to making cuts in programs such as Social Security and Medicare to reach an agreement with Republicans … Keep Reading

More than one million of California’s older and disabled population will receive a birthday gift this year that they may not have asked for: membership in a state-sponsored managed-care plan. They’re now covered by Medicaid, the state-federal program for the … Keep Reading

Across the nation, and especially in communities that attract a lot of older Americans, the free-love generation is continuing to enjoy an active — if not always healthy — sex life. At a stage in life when many would expect … Keep Reading

It is an oddity of American health care: Many nursing homes and home care agencies do not provide health insurance to their workers. Most home health agencies bills Medicaid or Medicare for their services and because they do not have … Keep Reading

The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is an independent Congressional agency established to advise the U.S. Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program. The Commission’s statutory mandate is quite broad: In addition to advising the Congress on payments to private … Keep Reading

Therapy Requirements Fact Sheet While changes to Publication 100-02, Chapter 7, Home Health Services are pending, the following information related to therapy requirements contained in the Calendar Year 2011 Final Home Health Rule is being provided to assist HHAs and … Keep Reading

PLANO – Seven North Texans are among 111 people facing charges for Medicare fraud after what’s being called a nationwide bust. Many are doctors, nurses and physical therapists, accused of defrauding the government of $225 million in false billing claims. … Keep Reading

MIAMI (AP) — Federal authorities charged more than 100 doctors, nurses and physical therapists in nine cities with Medicare fraud Thursday, part of a massive nationwide bust that snared more suspects than any other in history. More than 700 law … Keep Reading