This morning CMS posted the following notice on the Home Health Review Choice Demonstration webpage. RCD is being extended for an additional 5 years. The states currently in the demonstration will continue. Please see details below. NAHC will provide more information as it becomes available.
Update 05/17/2024:
Effective June 1, 2024, CMS will be extending the Review Choice Demonstration for Home Health Services for an additional 5 years. The demonstration will be continuing in the current demonstration states of Illinois, Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, Florida, and Oklahoma.
As part of the extension, CMS is removing Choice 3: Minimal Review with 25% Payment Reduction from the initial choice selections. Palmetto GBA will proactively reach out to coordinate with the small number of affected providers to make a new review choice selection. Current Choice 3 providers must select between the other two initial review choice options: Pre-Claim Review or Postpayment Review according to the following dates:
- Choice selection period start date: June 17, 2024
- Choice selection period end date: July 1, 2024
- Cycle effective date: July 15, 2024
Providers who do not make an initial review choice selection will default to participate in Choice 2: Postpayment Review. Providers with less than 10 reviews at the conclusion of the current cycle, will have their results included in the next cycle's results.
All other Home Health providers in the demonstration states will continue in their current review cycles and follow their regular cycle timelines. For Oklahoma providers, the choice selection period for cycle 2 is July 1, 2024, through July 15, 2024. Cycle 2 will begin on August 1, 2024.
Any providers who feel it is a hardship to continue participation in their current review choice selection and would like to modify their choice selection should notify Palmetto by June 14, 2024, to ensure their desired choice selection is updated.
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Katie Wehri
Director of Home Health & Hospice Regulatory Affairs
NAHC
Washington, DC
202-240-9254 #3360
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