2024 Interim Performance Reports (IPRs) Now Available
The October 2024 Interim Performance Reports (IPRs) for the expanded Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model are now available on the iQIES system. This quarterly report offers crucial information for home health agencies, including:
- Cohort assignments
- Performance data for the past 12 months
- Interim Total Performance Score (TPS)
IPRs help agencies monitor and compare their performance against peers in the same cohort throughout the performance year.
Preparing for 2025 Updates
With about one month remaining in the year, HHAs still have time to enhance their 2024 scores while preparing for upcoming changes in 2025. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Starts of Care (SOC) and Resumptions of Care (ROC): Assessments completed now will be influenced by the timing of patient discharges. If a patient is discharged in 2025, their outcome measures from the discharge OASIS will count toward 2025 performance hence, accurate and thorough assessments now are crucial.
- 2025 HHVBP Changes: The 2025 updates will incorporate GG items into the Discharge Function Score. If your agency has already started GG item training, you’re on track. If not, it is crucial to start immediately.
- Payment Adjustments: In 2025, claims for services rendered on a single date will be paid based on the updated Value-Based Purchasing rates. Payments will be adjusted according to your agency’s performance in 2023, with a positive or negative percentage applied to either increase or decrease the payment amount for those 2025 claims.
Upcoming Final 2024 Annual Performance Report (APR)
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will soon release the Final Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Annual Performance Report (APR) which is crucial for planning and improving future HHVBP performance. This report will include:
- The Total Performance Score (TPS) for CY 2023
- The Adjusted Payment Percentage (APP), applied to all Medicare Fee-for-Service claims with dates through CY 2025
Utilize the reports provided by CMS to identify areas for improvement in your HHVBP performance score and take advantage of the payment incentives. It might take a while to reap that incentive but it is a worthy investment that goes beyond reimbursement but also positively impacts patient care and your overall business. Start educating your staff now, if you haven’t yet, especially on new assessment and documentation guidelines impacting HHVBP scores.
