For a time, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) suspended certain surveys and routine inspections, and temporarily froze survey data in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with this pause was the prioritization of infection control and immediate jeopardy situations… Read More »[Part 1] Is Your Agency Survey-Ready? Reviewing Common Deficiencies on the CoPs
A Rising Demand for Medicare Programs By 2030, the entire baby-boom generation will have reached the age of eligibility for Medicare, hence the rapid acceleration in enrollment from 62 million (in 2020) to 78 million. This increased enrollment will also trigger an increase in… Read More »Business Growth Potential in Medicare and Home Health
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) just recently released their Q2 OASIS Q&As providing insights into the latest updates on OASIS documentation. The new set of Q&As provides important guidance specifically on updating the OASIS within (or after) the 5-day Request for… Read More »Q2 OASIS Q&As: New Guidance on GG Items
While there is currently an alarming shortage of nursing professionals in the US, another looming crisis, this time in the pool of direct care workers, stands to hurt the entire healthcare ecosystem, including home health care, if left unchecked. Direct care workers refers to… Read More »Shortage in Direct Care Workers: How Home Health Agencies Can Help
Last June 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) proposed rule for 2022, which re-focuses the shift from paying for home health services based on volume to a system that incentivizes higher quality… Read More »Key Takeaways: 2022 Proposed Payment Rule; HHVBP National Expansion
Recent discussions about the expansion of the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model (HHVBP) signal major reforms on the horizon for home health operations and payment systems. Allow us to dive into what this means for the different industry stakeholders: What Is Value-Based Care? According… Read More »Value-Based Care: What It Means for Your Agency
Staffing Is Home Health’s Biggest Challenge The 2021 Outlook Survey by Home Health Care News (HHCN) revealed that 59% of the respondents said that staffing remains their single-most challenging aspect of home health operations. With the onset of COVID-19, healthcare demand has increased drastically, overwhelming… Read More »Staffing: Is It a Problem for You Too?
The New CMS ADT Mandate There is a new mandate from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on sharing admissions, discharge, and transfer (ADT) data among care providers, with the aim of improving care coordination and lowering readmissions. As of May 1,… Read More »Is Your Agency Ready for Interoperability?
Receiving an Additional Development Request (ADR) from any Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) can induce anxiety, especially if it is the first time for a home health agency. However, receiving ADRs does not necessarily mean a mistake has been committed by the agency. It could… Read More »ADR Simplified: Tips for Success
The rollout of vaccines for COVID-19 has received mixed reactions among healthcare workers. What should be deemed as a light at the end of the tunnel is perceived by many as a premature solution to the ongoing pandemic. Healthcare workers were the first in… Read More »Are Home Health Workers Getting Vaccinated?
