Author Topic: Nurse Practitioners & Home Health  (Read 2614 times)

Philip

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Nurse Practitioners & Home Health
« on: July 13, 2009, 05:25:42 PM »
 Can Nurse Practitioners  order for  Home Health Lab work? Medicare says all orders should be signed by M.D and not by Nurse Practioner.
Can anybody  please help?  Is there any link in website to clarify this?
Thanks in advance
« Last Edit: July 13, 2009, 05:46:08 PM by Philip »

Michele

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Re: Nurse Practitioners & Home Health
« Reply #1 on: July 13, 2009, 08:56:31 PM »
Your question actually sounds like your answer.  If Medicare is saying that it must be signed by the MD then that is probably correct.  But if you want to verify it you should call your Medicare carrier and ask them to point you to where you can find this on the CMS website.  They are usually very helpful at showing you the CMS guideline to support their ruling.

Michele
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PMRNC

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Re: Nurse Practitioners & Home Health
« Reply #2 on: July 13, 2009, 09:24:31 PM »
Quote
They are usually very helpful at showing you the CMS guideline to support their ruling.

I think the opposite.. I find they are quick to say NO you can't do something or YES you can but not so quick when you ask to see the actual guideline!!  Whenever I have to clarify something with My local carrier (or any other for that matter) If I call back 2 more times after the first, I most likely end up with 3 different answers and no better off than where I started. I like to research first and call as a last resort.. of course depending on the situation/problem.
Linda Walker
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Philip

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Re: Nurse Practitioners & Home Health
« Reply #3 on: July 14, 2009, 12:05:30 AM »
THANKS

Michele

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Re: Nurse Practitioners & Home Health
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2009, 10:46:29 AM »
Wow, I must be lucky.  When they tell me a 'policy' I always ask if they could point out to me where I can find that in writing.  I always say "The doctor is not going to be happy, and I need to make sure I understand it completely so that I can explain it to him."  Always works.  I make sure I got the CMS website up, and their website too, and say "Can you tell me exactly where to click to find that?"  In fact, last time I pulled this, the girl helped me find the policy, and we found that she was wrong!  That was a sweet moment, I'm still savoring it!

Michele
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Re: Nurse Practitioners & Home Health
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2009, 10:46:29 AM »