What Hospices Need to Know to do
Business with VA
Christine Cody, RCN, MSN
Department of Veterans Affairs (114), 810 Vermont Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20420
Christine.Cody@va.gov, 202-273-8537
Diane Jones, Project Administrator, HVP Program
PO Box 844, Moorestown, NJ 08057
djones@ethosconsult.com, 856-234-5878
Doing Business with the
Federal Government
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Get a Data Universal Numbering
System (DUNS) number from
Dun & Bradstreet
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Register with Central Contractor
Registration (CCR)
DUNS NUMBER
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Unique 9-digit identification number provided
by Dun & Bradstreet
Free for all businesses required to register
with the federal government for contracts or
grants
Each hospice location must have a separate
DUNS number
How to request a DUNS
number
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On-line application
– D&B DUNS Numbers for US Government
Contractors & Grantees
– http://fedgov.dnb.com/webform
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Call (866) 705-5711
Central Contractor
Registration (CCR)
•
What is CCR
– Central vendor database for the federal
government
– Maintains electronic payment information
– Allows VA to pay contractors and vendors
such as hospice agencies
– Registration is free to vendors
– Annual renewal is required
Central Contractor
Registration (CCR)
•
Why do hospices have register?
– Federal regulation
– Prerequisite to contracting with the
government
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How do hospices register?
– Online registration at www.ccr.gov
– You must have your DUNS number to
register
General information you need
to register
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DUNS number
CAGE (Commercial and Government
Entity) code
– If you do not have a CAGE code, one will
be assigned to you after you register with
CCR
– There is no fee to get a CAGE code
http://www.dlis.dla.mil/CAGESearch/cage_faq.asp
General information you need
to register
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Company name
Federal Tax Identification Number
Location
Receipts
Website address
Other information you need to
register
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Organization or business type
Small Business Administration defined
socioeconomic characteristics
NAICS (North American Industry
Classification System) code
– 62160 (hospice care services, in home)
– 623110 (hospice, inpatient care)
Other information you need to
register
•
SIC (Standard Industrial Classification)
code
– 80599905
care
– 80599906
– 80820000
•
Personal care home, with health
Rest home, with health care
Home health care services
Product Service code
– Service code
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Q – Medical services
FSC (Federal Supply Classification)
code
Other information you need to
register
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Financial Information
– Financial institution
– American Banking Association (ABA) routing
number
– Account number
– Remittance address
– Lock box number
– Automated clearing house (ACH) information
– Credit card information
Other information you need to
register
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Point of Contact information
– Principal and alternate points of contact
– Electronic business, past performance, and
government points of contact
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Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) information
– EDI point of contact and contact information
– Optional – for businesses interested in conducting
transactions through EDI
Doing Business with the
Government
•
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Getting started can be very
emotional!
Once you have a DUNS
number
– Update only if there are
changes in your business
•
Once you are registered
with CCR
– Annual on-line re-certification
VA Policy
Hospice and palliative care is a covered benefit for
all enrolled veterans, all settings
"VA must offer to provide or purchase hospice &
palliative care that VA determines an enrolled
veteran needs." 38 CFR 17.36 and 17.38
VA Hospice and Palliative Care Mission
To Honor Veterans’ Preferences for Care at
the End of Life . . .
. . . in all settings
VA
Inpatient
VA Paid and
VA Referred
Hospice
VA Paid Hospice Care
Average Daily Census FY04 – FY07
16
VA Purchasing Hospice Care
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Purchased Home Health Care Services
Handbook
– Contract and clinical staff at facility and VISN
level jointly develop processes
– Broad array of home and community based care
options
– Veteran’s preference for specific resources
Purchasing (cont’d)
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Services purchased from hospices that are
licensed or otherwise state approved or
certified by Medicare/Medicaid
Purchasing options
– Basic Ordering Agreement – geographical area
or low frequency of use
– Bid Contract
• best value approach
• price, quality, service area coverage
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Written agreements at facility, VISN, multiVISN level
Statement of Work
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Purpose – purchase comprehensive
package of bundled services at a per diem
rate for eligible veterans
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Pricing – locally calculated Medicare
Hospice Benefit rates as maximum
– $2/day for physician services beyond scope of
routine hospice care
– Negotiated rates reflect fair market value for
services
Statement of Work (cont’d)
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Hospice responsibilities
– Services
– Hospice manages care plan
– Request level of care changes
– Contact VA to preauthorize inpatient
admissions
Statement of Work (cont’d)
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VAMC Procedures
– Approve referral
– VA physician certifies prognosis,
encouraged to act as attending
– VA sets recertification time frame and
processes
– Treatment issues identified and
coordinated
Statement of Work (cont’d)
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Communication/Coordination
– Liaisons – facilitate collaborative efforts,
streamline communication, promote
coordination of services
– Communication process – referrals, general
information, physician, patient discharge, death
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Quality Improvement
– joint review of quality and appropriateness of
services