Each July, the Medicare Administrative Contractors issue notices of a 2% Medicare payment reduction to those providers who did not meet quality data reporting requirements. Those notices have been sent. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Jacob Harris talk about the issues providers faced in 2021 and how to pursue an appeal of
Meg S.L. Pekarske
Meg has devoted her legal practice to serving the everchanging legal needs of the hospice industry. As chair of Husch Blackwell's Hospice and Palliative Care Practice Group, she manages the firm's hospice practice. In working day in and day out with hospice clients across the country, Meg is intimately familiar with the operational challenges of hospices and has the experience to address the full spectrum of legal issues facing the industry, from routine regulatory compliance issues to multimillion dollar Zone Program Integrity Contractor (ZPIC), Medicaid and other government audits. Additionally, Meg routinely advises hospices on palliative care program development, innovative inpatient unit structures, fraud investigations and a wide range of contracting issues. With an extensive background in long-term care, Meg brings a unique perspective and skill set to helping hospices create successful partnerships with nursing homes and assisted living facilities and providing quality end-of-life care to patients.
Beyond Hospice: The OIG Renews Its Scrutiny of Home Health Agencies
As many hospices continue to diversify into new business lines, staying abreast of enforcement trends outside of hospice is more important than ever. Home health in particular, is receiving significant government scrutiny. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske talks with Bryan Nowicki and Erin Burns about a new round of home health audits being…
Nuts and Bolts of a Repayment Investigation: Keys to Conducting Investigations Under the 60-Day Repayment Rule
When confronted with a complaint, allegation or event that implicates a potential Medicare overpayment, hospices have an affirmative duty under the federal 60-day repayment rule to conduct an investigation and refund any overpayment. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Andrew Brenton share tips and tools for conducting internal investigations and determining when an…
Hospice Audit Series | Painting the Picture: How to Advocate for Clinical Hospice Eligibility in the Audit Appeal Process
Hospice Audit Series
Audits are a fact of life for hospices—it’s not a matter of “if” a hospice will be audited, but “when.” The alphabet soup of audits has expanded, from UPICs to SMRCs, CPIs, TPEs and more. With the hospice carve-in to Medicare Advantage, MAO audits will join the list. The recent pause in audits as a result of the COVID pandemic hints at increased activity as the pandemic wanes. In this series, Meg Pekarske and Bryan Nowicki of Husch Blackwell’s Hospice Audit team deconstruct the most recent developments in hospice audits, providing insight and guidance on the why, when and how of audits and—most importantly—what hospices can do about it.
Hospice Leadership Strategy: Re-engaging Staff and Communities With Story
Welcome to an inspiring conversation on how story can help us reconnect with mission, staff and communities. As hospices face unprecedented staffing shortages and a burnt-out workforce, a key to thriving may be to re-engage with our human essence, which can be found through story. Today’s guest, Dr. Bertice Berry, PhD, explains humans are hardwired for story—it is how we connect, reflect and grow. So how do we use storytelling as a leadership tool? The Institute for Story’s upcoming conference on Advancing the Science of Story and Storytelling intends to help leaders do just that.
The OIG’s Impending Review of Nationwide Hospice Eligibility Demands a Robust Response From Hospices
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) recently announced that its 2022 work plan for hospices will include a nationwide review of hospice beneficiary eligibility. In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske and Bryan Nowicki discuss what led to this latest effort by the OIG, what hospices can expect and what they should do. Listen today:…
Exploring Answers to Hospices’ Top Vaccination Questions
In this episode of the COVID-19 Hospice How-To Series, we discuss the most pressing vaccination issues and how to navigate them. Our team explores strategies for handling vendors, the role unvaccinated staff can have in direct patient care, obligations to require boosters and what enforcement may look like. This episode contains many helpful insights,…
Beyond Regulations: Hospice Business Contracts and Contract Disputes
Hospices’ unique regulatory and business environment impacts how they contract with and relate to other private entities. In this episode, we discuss the many kinds of hospice-related contracts and contract-dispute matters they have worked on, and how their clients benefitted from their in-depth knowledge of hospices. Tune at: https://bit.ly/3JRIObe
Hospices and The False Claims Act: Proposed Amendment Would Increase Liability Risk
Hospices and the False Claims Act Series
The False Claims Act (FCA) is the government’s most serious weapon to combat fraud in the healthcare community, and hospices are increasingly the target of FCA investigations and lawsuits. The United States Supreme Court is, for the first time, considering FCA cases involving hospices and certifications of terminal
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Strategic Restructuring for the Future, Think Before You Sign: Five Key Insights for VBID and Managed Care Contracts
Strategic Restructuring for the Future: Exploring How Hospices Are Using Joint Ventures, Mergers and Acquisitions, and Service Diversification to Transform
Change, transformation, disruption: whatever you want to call it, it’s happening in the hospice industry over the next 5 years. It is unquestionable that the carve-in to Medicare Advantage, the rise of value-based care and steady market consolidation is changing the playing field. How do hospices respond? In this series, we explore how hospices are and can restructure their businesses. We discuss the opportunities and limits of different models: palliative care, affiliations for payor contracting or the more transformative change brought through a merger or acquisition. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, hospices can explore new ways of being. We are excited to guide you on this road and hope these conversations help as you explore these important questions within your organization and determine your best path into the future.