New Home Health Regulations on Face-to-Face Encounters and Reimbursement
A reduction in the Medicare reimbursement rate for home health care and clarification on physician documentation were included in the final rule published by CMS this October.
The face-to-face patient encounter for initial certification must be performed by the certifying physician himself or herself, by a nurse practitioner, a clinical nurse specialist who is working in collaboration with the physician in accordance with State law, a certified nurse midwife as authorized by State law, or a physician assistant under the supervision of the physician.
The new regulations will become effective on January 1, 2012.
Home Health Face to Face Encounter Regulations
Find out more about Home Health Care regulations, nursing care plans, and home health aide inservices and in the books Home Health Nursing Care Plans and Home Health Nursing Inservices.
