News
Medicare Reimbursement Rates Last Acts State Report Card
The Maine Hospice Council posts news that it feels is relevant to its work and philosophy. If you have any news that you feel should be posted please email the Council at info@mainehospicecouncil.org.
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Room and Board Pass-through is Passed
An Update from the Home Care and Hospice Alliance of Maine
Under federal rule (Medicare Benefit Policy Manual, Chapter, §20.3) when a dually eligible Medicare/Medicaid patient residing in a nursing facility chooses to receive Medicare Hospice Benefit services, Medicare expects the State to pay the hospice at least 95% of the room and board rate, which the hospice is to then pay the nursing facility. Members of the Alliance, namely Julie Shackley, Androscoggin and Kathy Lirakis, Hancock County, have been working with MaineCare policy staff to delay the implementation of this rule. It has since been agreed that with the short time that exists prior to the MIHMS “go live”, this change will not take effect. It is expected that policy staff will revisit the issue and propose revised rules to the Section 43: Hospice Services rule sometime next summer.
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Discharge Planners/Case
Managers Must Make Neutral Presentations
Elizabeth Hogue, Esq., 2010, Jan. 11
All patients have the right to freedom of choice of providers. Discharge planners/case managers have legal and ethical obligations to honor this right.