In this numbers-driven industry, the American Association for Homecare (AAHomecare) is seeking to deliver exactly what funding sources, policy makers and stakeholders from all sides are asking for: More data.
Data is especially important when the topic is audits, a factor that can bury a home medical equipment providership in paperwork and red tape.
So AAHomecare is looking to collect actual audit-related data to analyze and present to key figures in the audit realm.
The HME Audit Key system is currently open for providers to submit audit data for the first quarter of 2016. According to AAHomecare, the system “collects summary data on audits received and appeal experiences that is used to engage policy makers and government regulators on audit-related issues.”
Rather than collecting information on individual audits that providers go through, the Audit Key “seeks cumulative counts of pre- and post-payment audits and appeal claim outcomes,” AAHomecare added. Data submitted by individual suppliers aren’t shared; instead, the system uses audit information from the group of participating providers to be “included in the aggregate data.”
Providers can sign up at HMEAuditKey.org and participate for free. Participants will need one of their companies’ National Provider Identifier (NPI) numbers and ZIP code to use the system.
“In addition to providing critical data for the campaign for audit reform,” the AAHomecare announcement said, “your company can use this information to see how they compare to other suppliers in terms of audit volumes and appeal overturn rates.”
