Online resource packed with regulatory news and expert guidance, tips & tools pertinent to professionals across the post-acute care continuum.
With the Review Choice Demonstration just getting started in Texas and poised to begin in the remaining two demonstration states in May, agencies nationwide should keep an eye on successes and best practices. About 26% of agencies identified the Review Choice Demonstration as the regulatory requirement expected to have the biggest impact on agency operations […]
A recently proposed bill would allow tax-exempt distributions from health savings accounts (HSAs) to be used for qualified home care. The Homecare for Seniors Act was introduced in the Senate on Feb. 10. It specifies that under qualified home care a contract would offer three or more services for the service recipient, according to the bill. Services […]
Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar declared a public health emergency Jan. 31, in response to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus which started in China and has been identified in several cases in the U.S. The announcement serves as a prompt for agencies to review and update emergency plans and infection control […]
CMS recently released guides on the home health quality reporting program as well as home health help desks. The quick reference guides for CY2021 and CY2022 home health quality reporting give high-level information on the program, including frequently asked questions and helpful links, according to CMS. The revised guide to home health help desks was […]
CMS announced a new webinar designed to provide an overview of the Hospice Item Set (HIS) and submission requirements. The webinar is scheduled to take place 2-3 p.m. EST on March 3, 2020. The webinar will cover a general overview of the Hospice Quality Reporting Program, CAHPS submission and exemptions, basic instructions for completing the […]
Effective April 1, 2020, the CDC is implementing into the ICD-10-CM code set a new code for reporting vaping-related disorders. The code was created in response to recent occurrences of these disorders. The grouper contractor developed the new Home Health Grouper to accommodate this new code, effective for claim from dates on or after April […]
CMS is offering web-based training on existing requirements and changes coming to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program. The trainings apply to home health as well as Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilties (IRFs), Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs) and Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). The course should take about 15 minutes. Training topics include: Overview of the IMPACT Act; […]
Agencies in Illinois are starting the second round of the Review Choice Demonstration (RCD). The second cycle of RCD in Illinois runs from Feb. 1 through July 31. Illinois agencies with a full affirmation rate or claim approval rate of 90% or higher during the first six months of RCD were able to choose one […]
CMS has issued an update to the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual for home health. The update reflects policy changes finalized in the 2019 and 2020 PPS final rules, according to Change Request 11577. These changes include implementation of the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), the shift to a 30-day payment period, changes to requests for anticipated payment […]
CMS is working to incorporate new improvements to Home Health Compare and other Compare tools to help patients find health care providers in various settings around the care continuum. Currently, when users visit Medicare.gov, they have eight different Compare tools to go to — Hospital, Nursing Home, Home Health, Dialysis Facility, Long-term Care Hospital, Inpatient […]