Home Health, Hospice & Durable Medical Equipment Open Door Forum

**Updated November 27, 2012 - The Agenda for the next Home Health, Hospice & Durable Medical Equipment Open Door Forum, scheduled for Wednesday, November 28, 2012, from 2:00pm – 3:00pm, ET, is now available in the Downloads section below. If you wish to participate, dial 1-800-837-1935; Conference ID: 72193272. Thank you for your continued interest in the CMS Open Door Forums.
**Updated November 19, 2012 - The next Home Health, Hospice & Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Open Door Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, November 28, 2012, from 2:00pm – 3:00pm, ET. If you wish to participate, dial 1-800-837-1935; Conference ID: 72193272. Another notification will be sent before the call with the agenda. Thank you for your continued interest in the CMS Open Door Forums.
**Updated November 13, 2012 - CMS has updated Spotlight & Announcements with information about upcoming WebEx training on the Hospice Quality Reporting Program Data Entry and Submission:
CMS has posted information on the Spotlight & Announcement page of the Hospice Quality Reporting website about the upcoming availability of WebEx training for hospices. The training will help hospices prepare for web-based data entry and submission of quality data affecting the FY 2014 payment determination. The WebEx will be available beginning the week of November 12, 2012. Hospices can access additional details about the WebEx here: http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/Hospice-Quality-Reporting/Spotlight.html
**Updated September 27, 2012 - The next Home Health, Hospice & Durable Medical Equipment (DME) Open Door Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, October 3, 2012, from 2:00pm – 3:00pm, ET. If you wish to participate, dial 1-800-837-1935; Conference ID: 76245818. Please see the full participation announcement in the Downloads section below. Thank you for your continued interest in the CMS Open Door Forums.
**Updated April 6, 2012 -The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is pleased to announce the scheduled release of modifications to the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) code set. These changes have been posted to the HCPCS website at http://www.cms.gov/HCPCSReleaseCodeSets/02_HCPCS_Quarterly_Update.asp . Changes are effective on the date indicated on the update.
In response to shortage of liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil), the FDA is permitting the temporary importation of Lipodox, a brand of liposomal doxorubicin hydrochloride.
See http://www.fda gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm292658.htm . The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) HCPCS Quarterly update includes 2 new codes (Q2048 and Q2049) for liposomal doxorubicin that will become effective July 1, 2012. The code descriptors are worded in a manner that distinguishes Lipodox and Doxil. As of July 1, 2012, HCPCS code J9001 will not be used for Medicare billing. CMS will release a Change Request (CR) with additional instructions in the near future.
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Home Health, Hospice, and Durable Medical Equipment Open Door Forum (ODF) Overview:
The Home Health, Hospice & Durable Medical Equipment ODF addresses the concerns of three unique health care areas within the Medicare & Medicaid programs. Issues related to Home Health PPS, the newly proposed competitive bidding for DME, and the Medicare Hospice benefit are all topics the forum has covered. Many of the issues covered bridge concerns within all three settings, and the combination of the topics under one Forum has been useful to many participants. We continue to hold Special ODFs when individual policy issues require special attention. Timely announcements and clarifications regarding important rulemaking, agency program initiatives, and other related areas are also included in the forums.