Hi everyone! We're looking for some guidance on the FTF guidance below, specific to a definition for "directly admitted to home health." At times, our best option for a FTF encounter note is from an inpatient stay, but if the patient is transferred to a rehab facility or SNF, or if there is an order from a community physician for home health a few days after inpatient DC, are we allowed to use the inpatient encounter as our FTF? Thanks for your input!
30.5.1.1 – Face-to-Face Encounter
(Rev. 10438, Issued: 11-06-20, Effective: 03-01-20, Implementation: 01- 11-21)
1. Allowed Provider Types
As part of the certification of patient eligibility for the Medicare home health benefit, a
face-to-face encounter with the patient must be performed by the certifying physician or
allowed practitioner himself or herself, a physician or allowed practitioner that cared for
the patient in the acute or post-acute care facility (with privileges who cared for the
patient in an acute or post-acute care facility
from which the patient was directly admitted to home health) or an allowed non-physician practitioner (NPP).
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Brenda Gerst
Director Regulatory Affairs
CenterWell Home Health
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