Posted on Tuesday, June 23, 2015 8:47 AM
Last week, CMS held a training call for the revised Hospice Item Set (HIS) Manual. The revised manual is version 1.02 and includes HIS definition clarifications as well as revised guidance. CMS has indicated that it will release a recording of the call. In the interim, CMS has posted presentation slides and a change table outlining the revisions. Hospices should complete and submit HIS records even if late. Providers will receive a warning ‘error’ but the records are still accepting, according to NAHC. Additionally, the definitions for admission and discharge are helpful in determining when an HIS needs to be submitted. Admission: A patient is considered “admitted” to a hospice if:
- There is a signed election statement (or other agreement for care for non-Medicare patients) and
- The patient did not expire prior to the effective date of the election or agreement for care and
- The hospice made a visit in the setting where hospices services are to be initiated.
All three criteria must be met in order for the patient to be considered “admitted” for the purposes of HIS reporting. Discharge: A patient is considered discharged when the patient is no longer receiving services from the hospice or there is an interruption in care/services. Patient discharge is the “trigger event” for completing the HIS-Discharge. Click here for more details from NAHC.
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