Physicians or non-physician practitioners are required to have face-to-face encounters with beneficiaries before they certify eligibility for the home health benefit. One aspect of the certification is for the certifying physician to certify (attest) that the face-to-face encounter occurred and document the date of the encounter. For medical review purposes, Medicare requires documentation in the certifying physician’s medical records and/or the acute/post-acute care facility’s medical records to be used as the basis for certification of patient eligibility. This documentation must include the clinical note or discharge summary for the face-to-face encounter. Avoid home health claims payment denials or improper payment recoveries by understanding Medicare's requirements.
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