Sequence of Qualifying Services and Other Medicare Covered

30.2.11 - Sequence of Qualifying Services and Other Medicare Covered Home Health Services (Rev. 10438, Issued: 11-06-20, Effective: 03-01-20, Implementation: 01- 11-21) Once patient eligibility has been confirmed and the plan of care contains physician or allowed practitioner orders for the qualifying service as well as other Medicare covered home health services, the qualifying service does not have to be rendered prior to the other Medicare covered home health services ordered in the plan of care. The sequence of visits performed by the disciplines must be dictated by the individual patient's plan of care. For example, for an eligible patient in an initial 60-day certification period that has both physical therapy and occupational therapy orders in the plan of care, the sequence of the delivery of the type of therapy is irrelevant as long as the need for the qualifying service is established prior to the delivery of other Medicare covered services and the qualifying discipline provides a billable visit prior to transfer or discharge in accordance with 42 CFR 409.43(f). NOTE: Dependent services provided after the final qualifying skilled service are not covered under the home health benefit, except when the dependent service was not followed by a qualifying skilled service due to unexpected inpatient admission, death of the patient, or some other unanticipated event.