Medicare Fee-for-Service
Medicare fee-for-service (FFS), also called Original Medicare or traditional Medicare, is the arrangement in which the federal government pays providers directly for covered services under Parts A and B. For home health agencies, FFS patients are paid under the Home Health Prospective Payment System using PDGM, with claims processed by Medicare Administrative Contractors. FFS is the reference payer against which agencies compare every other contract.
Definition
Medicare fee-for-service (FFS), also called Original Medicare or traditional Medicare, is the arrangement in which the federal government pays providers directly for covered services under Parts A and B. For home health agencies, FFS patients are paid under the Home Health Prospective Payment System using PDGM, with claims processed by Medicare Administrative Contractors. FFS is the reference payer against which agencies compare every other contract.
Why it matters
Medicare Fee-for-Service is part of the Revenue Cycle & Billing vocabulary used across home health operations, documentation, and revenue cycle. Understanding it helps clinicians, QA leads, and administrators stay aligned on care quality and compliance.
Texas Home Health Payer Contracting Playbook
When a Texas payer says “our network is closed,” it doesn’t mean every door is shut. This playbook explores three paths to pursue payer contracts, access referral networks, and secure out-of-network payments. Learn which three numbers payers check first, and how to build a stronger case for your agency.
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Conversations on revenue cycle & billing
Episodes from Inside Home Health that put Medicare Fee-for-Service in operational context.
