news.hfssoft.comHFS News & Information

HFS News & Information HFS News & Information News & Information from the leader in Medicare Cost Reporting Software Home CMS issues additional FAQs on Provider Relief Fund for Medicare providers August 31st, 2020 Eric Swanson No comments The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an additional list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to Medicare providers regarding the Department of Health & Human Services’ (HHS) Provider Relief Fund and the Small Business Administration’s Paycheck Protection Program payments, also referred to as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) relief payments. The FAQs provide guidance to providers on how to report provider relief fund payments, uninsured charges reimbursed through the Uninsured Program administered by Health Resources and Services Administration, and Small Business Administration (SBA) Loan Forgiveness amounts. The FAQs also address that provider relief fund payments should not offset expenses on the Medicare Cost Report. The full FAQ can be found at the below link and the cost reporting questions begin on page 98. Please note that the FAQ did not further extend cost report filing extensions past those published on July 15, 2020. https://www.cms.gov/files/document/03092020-covid-19-faqs-508.pdf Categories: Cost Report News Tags: Notice on CMS Change Requests August 26th, 2020 Eric Swanson No comments On August 21, 2020 CMS posted two significant change requests to its website. CR 11644 – Communicated changes to the cost report acceptability checklists used by MACs to make acceptable cost report determinations. This CR removes the review of the PI file encryption codes and establishes Provider documentation variance allowance of +-3 percent. The full Change Request is available at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/r10316otn.pdf . In addition, CMS issued CR 11642. This CR provides MAC instructions regarding the calculation of nursing and allied health Medicare+Choice payments and the proportional reduction to MA direct GME payments. The changes to the proportional reduction to MA direct GME payments were initiated in Transmittal 16 of Form CMS 2552-10. The full Change Request is available at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/r10315otn.pdf . Categories: Cost Report News , General Information Tags: Updated – Cost Report Filing Extensions June 30th, 2020 Eric Swanson No comments CMS has directed MACs to further extend the cost reporting deadlines for the following cost reporting fiscal year ends for all provider types: Cost Reporting Period Ending Initial Due Date Extended Due Date 10/31/2019 03/31/2020 06/30/2020 11/30/2019 04/30/2020 06/30/2020 12/31/2019 05/31/2020 08/31/2020 * 01/31/2020 06/30/2020 08/31/2020 * 02/29/2020 07/31/2020 09/30/2020 * * Please note these are new extensions. While we have been told that CMS is considering the 3-31-2020 FYE providers that are currently due 8-31-2020, no extension has been posted at this time. Please contact HFS Support support@hfssoft.com, for any comments or questions. Categories: General Information Tags: Preliminary Public Use File (PUF) for the FY 2022 Wage Index June 5th, 2020 Eric Swanson No comments CMS published a preliminary Public Use File (PUF) for the FY 2022 wage Index May 18, 2020. This file reflects the Worksheet S-3, Parts II and III wage data from cost reports for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 (FY Beginning from 10/1/17 to 9/30/2018). The following file has been created and can be downloaded and used with the Wage Index Verification Tool for the Federal Fiscal Year 2022, Preliminary PUF: FY_2022_Prelim_S3 wage tab_05182020.csv Categories: Wage Index PUF Files Tags: Proposed Rule FFY 2021 PUF May 4th, 2020 Eric Swanson No comments CMS published the Proposed Rule Public Use File (PUF) for the FY 2021 wage index and occupational mix on 4/30/2020. This file reflects the Worksheet S-3, Parts II and III wage data from cost reports for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 (FY Beginning from 10/1/16 to 9/30/2017). As noted in the wage index development timetable hospitals have the right to request corrections to their wage index data files if they can establish that the A/B MACS or CMS made a data entry or transmission error in the final FY 2021 wage index data files. A hospital requesting a correction must submit its request, by hard copy and email, along with complete, appropriate detailed documentation, to both its A/B MACS and CMS, no later than May 29, 2020. The following file has been created and can be downloaded and used with the Wage Index Verification Tool for the Federal Fiscal Year 2021, Preliminary PUF: FY_2021_April_30_2020_S3_Data_PUF.csv Categories: Wage Index PUF Files Tags: CMS Transmittal 16 to the Provider Cost Reporting Forms and Instructions, Chapter 40, Form CMS-2552-10 April 30th, 2020 Eric Swanson No comments The Hospital Complex, 2552-10 was updated to Transmittal 16 by CMS, on April 30, 2020. Transmittal 16 is effective for cost reporting periods ending on or after December 31, 2019. The primary purpose of Transmittal 16 was to incorporate cost reporting changes for the Pennsylvania Rural Health Model (PARHM) demonstration. Other major changes include: Modification of Worksheet E-4 to accommodate DGME reimbursement for CAHs that train residents in excluded IPF or IRF units. Modification to the calculation of the percentage reduction of the MA direct GME payments for the calculation of the MA nursing and allied health (NAHE) payment adjustments. The reductions will be changed on an annual basis using the below factors, previously the reduction factor was 14.13% CY 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Percent reduction to MA DGME 9.77 7.85 7.16 6.41 5.86 5.32 4.99 4.44 7.00 As this Transmittal is effective for cost reporting periods ending on or after December 31, 2019, it does not incorporate any changes relating to COVID-19 pandemic cost reporting changes. CMS has not yet started the test/approval process, however, HFS expects T16 software to be approved and available for use in June. Preparation can continue on the current T15 software and will be compatible with the T16 update when made. CMS is encouraging providers to wait for T16 software availability to submit their MCR’s. The published T-16 transmittal can be found on CMS’ website at the link below: https://www.cms.gov/regulations-and-guidanceguidancetransmittals2020-transmittals/r16p240 Categories: Cost Report News , Hospitals Tags: Preliminary Public Use File (PUF) for the FY 2021 Wage Index February 3rd, 2020 Eric Swanson No comments CMS published a proposed Public Use File (PUF) for the FY 2021 wage Index January 31, 2020. This file reflects the Worksheet S-3, Parts II and III wage data from cost reports for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 (FY Beginning from 10/1/16 to 9/30/2017). Per the CMS notice “ All requests from hospitals for corrections to their FY 2021 wage index data must be submitted to and received by their Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) on or before February 14, 2020 . “ The following file has been created and can be downloaded and used with the Wage Index Verification Tool for the Federal Fiscal Year 2021, Proposed PUF: FY_2021_January_31_2020_S3_Data_PUF.csv Categories: Wage Index PUF Files Tags: New Documentation Requirements for Filing Medicare Cost Reports December 3rd, 2019 Eric Swanson No comments CMS published new documentation requirements for filing Medicare Cost Report in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule. These new requirements are effective for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2018 and additional information can be found in SE 19015 . While CMS initially addressed standardized formats for the submission of the new documentation the following was communicated in the SE 19015. “As noted in the Final Rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) agrees that requiring this information to be submitted in standardized formats would ensure c...