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Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act
3/21/2025, 1:32 PM
Summary of Bill HR 1720
One key aspect of the bill is the establishment of a modifier for recertifications of hospice care eligibility conducted through telehealth. This modifier would help ensure that patients receiving hospice care through telehealth are properly evaluated and certified for continued care.
Overall, the Telehealth for Hospice Care Act seeks to improve access to hospice care for Medicare beneficiaries by leveraging telehealth technology. By extending telehealth flexibilities and establishing guidelines for telehealth recertifications, the bill aims to make it easier for patients to receive the care they need, even from a distance.
Congressional Summary of HR 1720
Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act
This bill extends until December 31, 2027, the ability of physicians and nurse practitioners to fulfill certain requirements for hospice care recertification under Medicare via telehealth.
Specifically, physicians and nurse practitioners may continue to fulfill the requirement of a face-to-face encounter with the hospice patient via telehealth. Such telehealth encounters must be identified with a specialized claims modifier for purposes of billing.
The bill's authorization does not apply (1) in areas in which there has been a moratorium for at least six months on the enrollment of new hospice programs under Medicare, Medicaid, or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) due to fraud, waste, or abuse; (2) to providers who are subject to enhanced oversight under Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP; and (3) to practitioners who are not enrolled as Medicare providers and who have private contracts with Medicare patients that do not meet applicable opt-out requirements.
