WiHPCA June Webinar: Medicare Audit Trends

Session Overview:

In this webinar, Zaina Niles and Claire Postman will provide an overview of the Medicare audit and appeal process, key characteristics of different types of audits that hospices may be subject to, and recent trends at various stages of audit appeals, including prevalent claim denials and areas of focus. Zaina and Claire will also share documentation best practices and insights into avoiding and overcoming common claim denials.

Meet Our Presenters:

Zaina Niles, JD, MBA, MHA

Zaina A. Niles holds a JD, MBA, and MHA from the University ofMissouri. Throughout her education, Zaina held three internships in Missouri hospitals, worked in multiple career services positions, interned for a juvenile office and a federal magistrate judge, and served as the Editor in Chief for the Journal of Dispute Resolution. Upon graduation, Zaina joined Husch Blackwell, an Am Law 100 firm, as part of the Healthcare Regulatory & Compliance Counseling team where she advises a wide range of clients on how to mitigate risk and ensure compliance in the ever-changing healthcare field. She is a dedicated member of the firm’s Hospice & Palliative Care Team and spends her time guiding hospice providers through all stages of the CMS audit and appeal process. She has been featured on episodes of the firm’s palliative care podcast, Hospice Insights: The Law and Beyond, to discuss her experiences with appeal advocacy and CMS contractor participation in administrative hearings. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Zaina co-authored the firm’s State-by-State Daily Updates regarding COVID-related executive orders and passed/pending legislation and contributed an article related to vaccine mandates in healthcare facilities to Missouri Medicine, the Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association.

Claire Postman, JD

Claire Postman, JD is a healthcare regulatory attorney at Husch Blackwell. Prior to attending law school, she worked as a health policy research analyst, focusing on Medicare and Medicaid. At Husch, Claire counsels healthcare clients on matters including fraud and abuse laws, corporate practice of medicine restrictions, Medicare/Medicaid reimbursement and enrollment, scope of practice issues, medical staffing, and provider contracting. She is also a member of Husch Blackwell's hospice and palliative care team, where she assists hospice clients with audits, investigations, contracting, and other regulatory issues.