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Face-to-Face Encounters

About Face-to-Face Encounters

Under the Patient Protection Affordable Care Act, there is a new requirement for physicians ordering home care services, known as Face-to-Face Encounters (FFE). FFE has been implemented by CMS to encourage greater involvement of the physician in their patient’s home care services.

As of January 1, 2011, referring physicians must have a Face-to-Face Encounter with the patient within the 90 days prior to, or 30 days of, the start of a Medicare home health care episode. Accordingly, VNSNY has incorporated the FFE requirement into our referral process to make it easier for you to authorize care for your patients.

Important Forms

Below are links to the forms that will assist you in ordering home health care for your Medicare patients.

The Face to Face Encounters Form will assist you in ordering home health care for your Medicare patients. This form supports the assertion that an encounter with the patient occurred, that the encounter was related to the primary reason the patient needs home care and that the patient's medical status qualifies him or her as homebound.

The FFE Completion Guideline will assist you in providing the required documentation of your patients' homebound status and the medical conditions requiring home health care. Please refer to the Guideline document to ensure that your FFE forms are completed correctly and will not be returned. Please continue to complete a VNSNY Referral Form for all patients.

Provided below are sample templates of the FFE Encounters Form for the most common diagnoses we treat at VNSNY. They will also provide additional support to you and your staff in certifying care for your patients.

Face to Face Scenario 1: Wound

Face to Face Scenario 2: Congestive Heart Failure

Face to Face Scenario 3: Abnormal Gait

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