Medicare Blog

what do providers need to know about medicare rhc

by Libby Kutch Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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 A Rural Health Clinic

Rural health clinic

A rural health clinic is a clinic located in a rural, medically under-served area in the United States that has a separate reimbursement structure from the standard medical office under the Medicare and Medicaid programs. RHCs were established by the Rural Health Clinic Services Act of 1977,. …

is a clinic certified to receive special Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. The purpose of the RHC program is improving access to primary care in underserved rural areas. RHCs are required to use a team approach of physicians and midlevel practitioners such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certified nurse midwives to provide services. The clinic must be staffed at least 50% of the time with a midlevel practitioner.

Full Answer

What does RHC stand for in healthcare?

Dec 01, 2021 · Rural Health Clinics. This page provides basic information about being certified as a Medicare participating rural health clinic (RHC) supplier and includes links to applicable laws, regulations, and compliance information. An RHC is a clinic that is located in a rural area designated as a shortage area, is not a rehabilitation agency or a facility primarily for the care …

What is an RHC practitioner?

Location Requirements. An RHC must: Be located in an area defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as non-urbanized Be located in an area currently designated by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) within the last 4 years as 1 of these: Primary Care Geographic Health Professional Shortage Area.

How many RHC visits do Medicare beneficiaries make?

Technical components of RHC service include diagnostic tests such as x-rays, electrocardiograms, and other tests authorized by Medicare statute or the National Coverage Determination process. The HCPCS reporting requirements do not change the billing for technical components of a RHC service. These services may be billed separately

How are RHC lab services billed to Medicare?

Jan 01, 2022 · Rural Health Clinic Costs and Medicare Reimbursement, a 2019 brief from the Maine Rural Health Research Center, notes independent RHCs and provider-based RHCs owned by hospitals with 50 or more beds are subject to a per-visit reimbursement rate cap for Medicare payments. In fiscal year 2014, only 45% of the adjusted cost per visit (ACPV) at provider-based …

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How is the all inclusive rate calculated?

“In general, the all-inclusive rate (AIR) for an RHC or FQHC is calculated by the MAC/FI by dividing total allowable costs by the total number of visits for all patients. Productivity, payment limits, and other factors are also considered in the calculation.”Jun 10, 2020

What is an RHC qualifying visit?

An RHC visit is defined as a medically necessary medical or mental health visit, or a qualified preventive health visit. The visit must be a face-to-face (one-on-one) encounter between the patient and an RHC practitioner during which time one or more RHC services are furnished.Aug 1, 2016

Can you bill for remote patient monitoring in a RHC?

RHCs aren't authorized to serve as a “distant sites,” except during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE) (see COVID-19 Flexibilities). A distant site is where the practitioner is located during the telehealth service. You can't bill the visit's cost or include it on the cost report.Jan 1, 2022

Who can bill G0511?

To bill the new HCPCS code G0511, an RHC or FQHC must meet the requirements for either CCM (CPT code 99490 or CPT code 99487) or general BHI (CPT code 99484). If the requirements for CPT code 99484 are met, the code can be billed and certified EHR technology is not required.

What is difference between BHU and RHC?

A BHU serves up to 25,000 people with basic medical and surgical care, preventive services, maternal and child healthcare services. An RHC, with an additional facility of 10-20 inpatient beds, dental and ambulance services, serves a catchment population of up to 100,000 people (Punjab Health Department, 2012).

What is medical term RHC?

Right heart catheterization (RHC) is a diagnostic procedure used to measure pulmonary artery pressures and thus evaluate whether a patient has pulmonary hypertension or not, and sometimes what is causing the pulmonary hypertension.

Does Medicare cover G0467?

HCPCS code G0467 for Federally qualified health center (FQHC) visit, established patient; a medically-necessary, face-to-face encounter (one-on-one) between an established patient and a FQHC practitioner during which time one or more FQHC services are rendered and includes a typical bundle of medicare-covered services ...

Can FQHC bill Medicare for remote patient monitoring?

Reimbursement policies for RHCs and FQHCs FQHCs and RHCs can bill Medicare for telehealth services as distant site providers, at a reimbursement rate of $92.03, retroactive to January 27, 2020. The patient's home is an eligible originating site during the COVID-19 public health emergency (as of March 6, 2020).Apr 21, 2021

What is CPT G2025?

You must use HCPCS code G2025 (the new RHC/FQHC specific G code for distant site telehealth services) to bill services provided via telehealth beginning on January 27, 2020, the date the COVID-19 PHE became effective (see https://www.phe.gov/emergency/news/healthactions/phe/Pages/2019-nCoV.aspx).Apr 17, 2020

Can 99490 and G2058 be billed together?

Now, 99490 and G2058 can be billed in the same month as 99495.

Can CCM and TCM be billed together?

It is not permissible for both CCM and TCM services to be billed during the same month. Note the following question and answer provided by CMS: 1. The CCM codes describe time spent per calendar month by “clinical staff.” Who qualifies as “clinical staff ”? …

Can G0506 be billed alone?

G0506 is only allowed to be billed once per patient by the billing practitioner. In order to ensure the practitioner's involvement at the outset of the CCM services, G0506 is to be billed as an add-on code to the CCM-initiating visit. There are no requirements to “re-initiate” CCM, so there is no add-on code.Feb 10, 2017

Who Do I Contact If I Have Questions Regarding The Development and Ongoing Management of Rhcs?

1. For policy and advocacy issues: National Association of Rural Health Clinics (NARHC) Telephone: 866.306.1961 Bill Finerfrock, NARHC Executive Di...

How Do I Get Certified as An RHC?

The first step is to determine if your site is eligible. Using our Am I Rural? tool, enter the facility’s current or proposed address to receive a...

Will RHC Certification Guarantee A Better Financial Return?

Not necessarily. It is very important to complete a financial assessment to see if the RHC program is right for you. Financial benefits of RHC stat...

What Is The Difference Between A Provider-Based RHC and An Independent RHC?

1. Provider-based RHCs are owned and operated as an essential part of a hospital, nursing home, or home health agency participating in the Medicare...

Are There Location Requirements For Rhcs?

Yes, RHCs must be located in non-urban rural areas with current healthcare shortage or underservice designations; however, there is no restriction...

If A Location Loses Its Shortage Designation, Is It Possible to Remain A Rural Health Clinic?

Yes. Currently, CMS cannot decertify any RHC that no longer meets one or both of the location requirements (rural and shortage/underserved area). H...

Are There Special Staffing Requirements For Rhcs?

RHCs must employ at least one nurse practitioner (NP) or physician assistant (PA). RHCs are required to be staffed by an NP, PA, or certified nurse...

What Resources Are Available to Help Rhcs Maintain Their Primary Care Workforce?

Several programs and grant programs help recruit and retain physicians and mid-level practitioners. 1. 3RNet (Rural Recruitment and Retention Netwo...

How Does Medicare Reimburse Rhcs?

RHCs receive an interim all-inclusive reimbursement payment rate per visit throughout the clinic's fiscal year, which is then reconciled through co...

How Do States Reimburse Rhcs For Medicaid?

All state Medicaid programs are required to recognize RHC services. The states may reimburse RHCs under one of two different methodologies. The fir...

What is an RHC?

An RHC is a clinic that is located in a rural area designated as a shortage area, is not a rehabilitation agency or a facility primarily for the care and treatment of mental diseases, and meets all other requirements of 42 CFR 405 and 491.

What percentage of the time do you need to be a nurse practitioner?

A nurse practitioner, a physician assistant, or certified nurse-midwife must be available to furnish patient care services at least 50 percent of the time the clinic operates.

When will the RHC cap increase?

As a result, beginning in 2021, the RHC cap will rise each year through 2028, all new RHCs will have a uniform per-visit cap, and no RHC will see a reduction in reimbursement.

Who supervises a NP?

Typically, a physician (MD or DO) must supervise each NP, PA, or CNM in a manner consistent with state and federal law. During the COVID-19 PHE, however, CMS has waived this supervision requirement for nurse practitioners to the extent allowed by state law.

What is a rural clinic?

The Rural Health Clinic (RHC) program is intended to increase access to primary care services for patients in rural communities. RHCs can be public, nonprofit, or for-profit healthcare facilities. To receive certification, they must be located in rural, underserved areas. They are required to use a team approach of physicians working ...

Can a telehealth clinic bill Medicare?

Traditionally, RHCs and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) could only bill Medicare for telehealth services if the clinic was serving as an originating site, or where a Medicare beneficiary went to conduct a telehealth visit with a provider in a different location.

Can a RHC be decertified?

Yes. An RHC previously certified as being in a non-urbanized area and designated shortage area that loses either or both of these designations cannot be decertified by CMS. See RHC Rules and Guidelines Condition of Coverage: Location of Clinic for additional information.

What is a visit in RHC?

 The term “visit” is defined as a face-to-face encounter between the patient and a physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, visiting nurse, clinical psychologist, or clinical social worker during which an RHC service is rendered. Encounters with (1) more than one health professional; and (2) multiple encounters with the same health professional which takes place on the same day and at the same location, constitutes a single visit. Exceptions will be addressed later in presentation.

Do RHCs get Medicare?

 RHCs receive special Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. Medicare visits are reimbursed based on allowable costs and Medicaid visits are reimbursed under the cost-based method or an alternative Prospective Payment System (PPS). Ordinarily, this will result in an increase in reimbursement. RHCs may see improved patient flow through the utilizations of NPs, PAs and CNMs, as well as more efficient clinic operations.

Can a RHC claim a deductible?

 RHCs are allowed to claim bad debts in accordance with 42 CFR 413.80. RHCs may claim unpaid deductible. The RHC must establish that reasonable efforts were made to collect these co-insurance amounts in order to receive payment for bad debts. If the RHC co-insurance or deductible is waived, the clinic may not claim bad debt amounts for which it assumed the beneficiary’s liability.

What is a rural health center?

Rural Health Centers, RHCs, are clinics that are certified to receive special Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements. These clinics are intended to help improve the accessibility of healthcare in underserved rural areas. There are 2 types of RHCs:

How to contact Physician Services USA?

Call us today! We are happy to answer your questions and/or set up a free practice consultation. Call 800-599-7183 or email: [email protected]. ← FQHC Billing 101.

What is a RHC visit?

RHC visits are medically necessary face-to-face encounters between the patient and a physician, NP, PA, CNM, CP, or CSW during which a RHC service is furnished. In certain limited situations, RHC visits may also include a visit by a registered professional nurse or a licensed practical nurse to a homebound patient.

Is CMS a government system?

Warning: you are accessing an information system that may be a U.S. Government information system. If this is a U.S. Government information system, CMS maintains ownership and responsibility for its computer systems . Users must adhere to CMS Information Security Policies, Standards, and Procedures.

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