OIG Reports that CMS has made Duplicate Payments to Home Health Services

On May 16, the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services released the report from its audit of physician therapy services provided during home health episodes. The report outlines the OIG’s findings that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) made duplicate payments for the same home health services. Specifically, the payments for the same services were made to the physician under Medicare Part B and then to the home health agency under the Medicare home health prospective payment system (HH PPS). The OIG recommended that CMS eliminate duplicate payments by adjusting the HH PPS rate to exclude physician-provided therapy services or by making physician therapy services subject to the consolidated billing requirement. CMS has agreed with the OIG’s recommendations and has indicated that it will take action to address the recommendation.

For more information on proper billing practices for home health services, please visit www.wachler.com or contact a Wachler & Associates attorney at 248-544-0888.