Overview: This episode commonly asked questions from hospices across the country. The group shares legal and accounting perspectives as well as practical considerations to help hospices as they operationalize their use of relief payments. Presenters: Husch Blackwell’s Hospice & Palliative Care attorneys Meg Pekarske , Bryan Nowicki and Andrew Brenton , and Crowe’s accounting professionals Bucky High, Dan Yunker and Stephanie Cerney/professionals/meg-pekarske Resources: Presentation Slides: C...
Jun 03, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 12
The only thing constant is change…since our last podcast, evolving guidance from HHS continues to create confusion regarding how the relief payments were calculated and under what circumstances providers should accept or return relief payments. In this episode, Hospice & Palliative Care attorneys Meg Pekarske, Bryan Nowicki, and Andrew Brenton break down the latest Relief Fund guidance from HHS and discuss its implications for hospices.
May 22, 2020•34 min•Ep. 11
In this episode, Meg Pekarske talks with Michael McHale who is President and CEO of TRU Community Care. Michael is a friend, colleague and hospice innovator. As a former board member of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (“NHPCO”), Michael is always thinking of ways to lead proactive growth and change. He is driven to solutions by the fundamental question: “how can we better serve the needs of our community?” In today’s conversation, Michael shares his insights on where hospic...
Apr 24, 2020•55 min•Ep. 10
On Friday, April 10, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services began disbursing $30 billion in relief funds directly to Medicare providers, including hospices. The use of those funds, however, is subject to a number of terms and conditions that raise significant questions. Failure to adhere to those terms and conditions could require a hospice to return those funds or result in liability during future audits or enforcement actions. In this episode, Hospice & Palliative Care attorneys ...
Apr 14, 2020•36 min•Ep. 9
In today’s COVID-19 edition of the Hospice Labor and Employment Trends series, Meg Pekarske talks with colleague Tom O’Day about the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). As one of Husch Blackwell’s healthcare-focused employment attorneys, Tom is uniquely situated to interpret the FFCRA for healthcare providers of all kinds, including hospices.
Apr 09, 2020•37 min•Ep. 8
Change is fast-paced in the world of COVID-19. On Monday, March 30th, CMS released an interim final rule along with hospice specific waivers. Your Hospice Team discusses these recent developments and their impact on telehealth, face-to-face encounters, virtual visits and Medicare appeals and audits.
Apr 03, 2020•35 min•Ep. 7
In today’s episode, your Hospice Team shares insights on operationalizing recent government guidance for hospices facing coronavirus obstacles. We discuss the role of virtual visits, how to use telehealth, and the practical impact of the Medicare appeal waiver.
Mar 27, 2020•54 min•Ep. 6
These are extraordinary times. COVID-19, or the novel coronavirus, has disrupted the life of every American and every business. Hospices are no exception. In fact, they are on the frontlines, responsible for providing care to the elderly, a population extremely susceptible to COVID-19. The Husch Blackwell Hospice Team is fundamentally a group of problem solvers, who are here with and for you during these trying times, to provide support, guidance, ideas and strategies in the face of this unprece...
Mar 19, 2020•26 min•Ep. 5
In this episode, the hospice team discuss the latest round of audits from the Office of Inspector General (OIG) which focus on Durable Medical Equipment (DME), supplies and their “relatedness” to a patient’s terminal prognosis. Whether or not you are subject to these Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) audits, we share strategies for withstanding government scrutiny of your relatedness determinations, including the who, when, why and how of your decision maki...
Mar 05, 2020•20 min•Ep. 4
In this episode, we share a lively discussion with colleague Jon Anderson on what should be front of mind for hospices in 2020 from a labor and employment perspective. Jon shares insights on what the new developments in wage and hour and employment discrimination laws mean for hospices across the country. We also delve into the important intersection between human resources and health care compliance when it comes to investigating compliance concerns and conducting exit interviews. Stay tuned fo...
Feb 20, 2020•41 min•Ep. 3
In this episode, the hospice team shares insights on how to manage and succeed in responding to additional documentation requests (“ADR”) stemming from Targeted Probe and Educate (“TPEs”) projects. We discuss the unique features of TPE and winning strategies for responding. Check out the Hospice Resource Library for tips and tools related to this episode.
Feb 06, 2020•24 min•Ep. 2
In this episode, your hospice team discusses the exciting opportunities resulting from their move to a new law firm: Husch Blackwell. Their new home enhances their ability to provide wide-ranging and value-added counsel and problem-solving to hospices facing audits, surveys, enforcement activity, litigation, and regulatory concerns. It also augments their hospice expertise in areas like Medicare Advantage, joint ventures, mergers and affiliations, ACO contracting, and alternative payment models....
Jan 23, 2020•20 min•Ep. 1
