News-At-A-Glance: Program Transmittal Meant to Clarify Homebound Definition

Program transmittal R192BP, issued Aug. 1, defines the criteria necessary for a patient to be considered homebound allowing a clinical laboratory to charge for a travel allowance to collect blood specimens from the patient. The transmittal says that in order for patients to be eligible for home health services, which includes a travel allowance for a phlebotomist to travel to their home or place of residence to collect a blood sample, they must meet certain criteria to be certified as homebound. The transmittal clarifies the criteria and eliminates the use of vague terms like “generally speaking.” Eventually, the language in the transmittal will reside in Chapter 15, Section 60.4.1 of the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual (Publication 100-02). This includes patients in assisted-living facilities or other similar settings, as well as in their own home. Laboratories that provide phlebotomy services to patients receiving benefits under the Medicare home health regulations and charging a travel allowance, in addition to blood collection fees, may want to institute a policy that documents their attempt to determine if the patient is certified as homebound under Medicare regulations.