Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act
Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act
Plain Language Summary
# Hospice Recertification Flexibility Act Summary **What It Does:** This bill would allow doctors and nurse practitioners to use telehealth (video calls) instead of in-person visits to recertify patients for hospice care under Medicare through the end of 2027. Currently, Medicare requires face-to-face meetings for this recertification process. The bill extends a temporary pandemic-era flexibility that was set to expire, allowing these telehealth visits to continue with a special billing code to track them. **Who It Affects & Key Limits:** The bill primarily affects hospice patients, doctors, and nurse practitioners who work with Medicare.
However, there are important safeguards: the flexibility would NOT apply in areas where Medicare has paused new hospice program enrollment due to fraud or abuse concerns, and it wouldn't apply to providers already under increased scrutiny or to doctors with certain private contracts with Medicare patients. **Current Status:** HR 1720 was introduced by Rep. Carol D. Miller (R-WV) in the 119th Congress and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House of Representatives.
CRS Official Summary
Hospice Recertification Flexibility ActThis 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.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.