CMS Issues Proposed Changes to Physician Supervision Requirements for Hospital Outpatient Services
In the proposed changes to the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System, CMS is proposing to change the physician supervision requirements applicable to hospital outpatient services described in the 2009 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) final rule. In the proposed rulemaking release, issued July 1, 2009, CMS indicates that physician supervision requirements requiring "direct supervision" will be met so long as the supervising physician is physically present on the hospital campus and immediately available to offer assistance during the service. This is similar to the "incident to" direct supervision requirement, but the question will continue to be the definition of "Hospital Campus" when combined with "immediately available." CMS also indicates that non-physician practitioners can satisfy supervision requirements consistent with their state-defined scope of practice.
MEDICARE SURETY BOND
By: David Green at Yellowhammer Insurance Agency, Friday July 10th, 2009
All Medicare suppliers of durable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies providers should know by now that they are required to post a DMEPOS Surety Bond by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. This rule was proposed by Health and Human Services in an attempt to limit Medicare’s risk. DMEPOS suppliers not exempt from the accreditation compliance requirements must submit accreditation information to the NSC no later than October 1, 2009. The cost of this Medicare Surety Bond will depend on a number of criteria, among them the duration of your business and your credit score.  An additional consideration is whether or not your business is considered high risk. There are some Medicare providers who are exempt. All filing requirements and cutoff dates can be clarified by your DMEPOS provider, and all pertinent information regarding the Medicare Surety Bond is available online. All accredited suppliers, new and continuing, must post the surety bond by October 1, 2009 for continued accreditation.Â
Beware, there are many start-up surety companies anxious to “cash-in†on this ruling. Consumers should be aware of questionable operators and choose a DMEPOS provider who is well established and has extensive experience in this matter. For any bond required by the Federal Government, the Surety must be certified. The Department of the Treasury's
Listing of Certified Companies can be found here.
Applying for the bond or requesting a free quote can be done simply online. You will need to include information regarding your business and services, pertinent contact information about yourself, the owner, and determine the bond amount. Once again, this amount will vary depending on predetermined standards. A good online DMEPOS Surety Bond provider can help you with this.Â
One online Surety Bond provider you can firmly rely on is Yellowhammer Insurance Agency based in Birmingham, Alabama. This agency has been serving bond clients since 2005 and has built a notable reputation for fast, friendly service, knowledgeable staff and competitive rates. Yellowhammer Surety can help you meet all the requirements for compliance with the CMS ruling.
Yellowhammer Insurance Agency has recently launched their website to facilitate the medial industry with the DMEPOS Medicare Bond process. All applicants can register online with the prompt and convenient online application form. You can expect to be served well by an experienced and caring staff, who will make your interests a priority.
Call toll free at (800) 594-2357 or email David Green to apply for your Supplier Bond