An inquiry was sent to WPS to seek clarification on a question raised at the IACPR Conference in April:

In June of 2016, WPS replied to a series of questions posed by the J5 MAC Committee.  In the reply, WPS responded that not only pulmonary rehab ITPs, but cardiac rehab ITPs  must be signed by the physician prior to the patient’s first treatment session. This is not in the CR regulations (Code of Federal Regulations), but it is in the PR regulations.  So we asked for clarification again regarding the need for the CR physician to sign the treatment plan prior to the patient's first treatment session. 

The response from WPS is as follows:

Thank you for the inquiry you sent to Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) Government Health Administrators (GHA) regarding cardiac rehabilitation.  I contacted our Medical Review department including our Contractor Medical Director (CMD) for assistance with your inquiry. The Medical Review staff and CMD indicates, the cardiac rehabilitation treatment plan is considered an order and must be signed prior to treatment in order to be valid. The physician’s order is written prior to the services being done to document the services being ordered.

It is surprising WPS is calling the ITP an “order”, but they are so we need to follow this rule.  Please contact Janie Knipper if you have further questions about this.

Thank you!

Janie

Janie Knipper, RN, MA, AE-C

Pulmonary Rehabilitation Supervisor

University of Iowa Hospitalsand ClinicsIowa City, IA 52242

P: 319-356-8396F: 319-353-7199

Email: jane-knipper@uiowa.edu