Anticipatory Grief: Coping with Loss Before It Happens
Anticipatory grief, also referred to as anticipatory loss or preparatory loss, is a unique form of mourning that occurs before the actual loss takes place. It is the feeling of loss that is felt before the loss happens. While traditional grief typically follows a...
What is grief?
Grief is the emotional, psychological, and physical response to loss. It is a natural process that helps individuals come to terms with the reality of their loss and adjust to life without the person or thing they've lost. Whether it's the death of a loved one, the...
End-of-Life Pain Management
People with terminal illness experience pain at the end of life and for many, this pain goes untreated. One of the key elements of hospice care is effectively managing the patient’s pain. Untreated or undertreated pain results in needless suffering – due to physical...
Hospice Length of stay – active or discharged patients?
Patient length of stay is monitored to detect instances of inappropriate use of the hospice benefit or other deficiencies in the services delivered by the hospice provider. Length of stay is monitored for both very short length of stay as well as for length of stay...
Average length of stay versus median length of stay
Patients are eligible for hospice if they have a terminal diagnosis and a prognosis of six or fewer months to live if their disease runs its natural course. A patient who lives longer than six months can still get hospice care if the medical director or other hospice...
What is a False Claims Act investigation?
What is the False Claims Act
What is the hospice governing body?
What is the governing body? In accordance with the Conditions of Participation, a Medicare certified hospice agency must have a governing body. The governing body has ultimate responsibility for the hospice agency, including legal and financial authority. Medicare...
What is a UPIC audit?
What is a UPIC? Unified Program Integrity Contractors (UPICs) are contracted by CMS to conduct detailed medical review, data analysis, and audits of healthcare providers to investigate possibilities of Medicare or Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse. While the primary...
What is the TPE audit process?
What is a TPE? A Targeted Probe and Educate (TPE) is an audit program that was rolled out by CMS in 2017. The stated goal of this program is to help providers reduce claim denials and appeals. The TPE works to achieve its goal by educating providers in topics that...
What is a SMRC review?
What is a SMRC? A SMRC is a Supplemental Medical Review Contractor. CMS contracts with SMRCs to conduct medical reviews for Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B, and DME providers. SMRCs are contracted through the Center for Program Integrity/Provider Compliance Group...