Reviewing HHVBP Updates in the Recently Released Interim and Annual Performance Reports

The July release of the Interim Performance Reports (IPR) were released at the end of July, and the reports include the first quarter of 2025 OASIS Outcome Measures, along with the remaining measures through December 31, 2024.

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Understanding the New Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary Measure in the 2026 Home Health Proposed Rule

One of the most significant additions is a new measure called the “Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary Post-Acute Care Measure”. To help explain this change, Jennifer Osburn, one of our consultants here at Healthcare Provider Solutions, will walk us through the key components of how the Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary calculation is determined.

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2026 Home Health Proposed Rule Released

On June 30, 2025, CMS released the 2026 Home Health Proposed Rule, and with this proposal comes the introduction of a number of unexpected and significant changes that could have far-reaching impacts across the industry.

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Four New OASIS Items for 2027 – Health-Related Social Needs

Today, we’re going to explore the possibility of four new items possibly being incorporated into your current comprehensive assessment—well before they are set to officially become part of the OASIS document in 2027. This would allow us to start identifying the key areas to highlight once they take effect.

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Understanding the Difference between Conditions of Participation and Conditions of Payment

The difference between the Conditions and Participation and the Conditions of Payment is a crucial topic, and a critical issue regarding the distinction between the two needs to be addressed. When discussing the Conditions of Participation, it’s well understood that compliance with CoPs is essential. Whether in home health or hospice, surveyors carefully review these conditions during their surveys.

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Clarifying Uncertainty Surrounding the Timely Initiation of Care Outcome Measure

A long-established outcome measure for home health, the Timely Initiation of Care Outcome Measure, seems to have some uncertainty surrounding it that we’d like to clear up. The Timely Initiation of Care Outcome Measure is determined using the dates recorded in the OASIS document.

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Reviewing Recent Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Updates

The October Interim Performance Reports (IPR) were delayed and were eventually published in December 2024. If you have not yet reviewed the most recent IPR reports, they are now available in your iQIES system.

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2024 Home Health Year in Review and Looking Forward to 2025

As we close out 2024, Home Health has been a rocky road at best. We expect that this will continue into 2025, but with advocacy efforts comes the potential for improvement.

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Understanding the Most Recent Home Health Value Based Purchasing Model (HHVBP) Reports

The October 2024 Interim Performance Reports provide data for the previous 12 months, ending in June 2024 for OASIS data and March 2024 for HHCAHPS and claims data. It is crucial to regularly monitor your reports and address any significant discrepancies between your expected scores and those shown in the interim reports.

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CMS Releases 2025 Home Health Final Rule & Quality Update

The much-anticipated 2025 Home Health Final Rule was posted Friday, November 1, 2024, and includes applicable changes for implementation in calendar year (CY) 2025 and beyond.

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Reviewing Updates to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program

In October 2024, the data on the Care Compare site was refreshed. With this update, the Acute Care Hospitalization and Emergency Department measures were removed.

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Understanding Updates to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program

Many updates have been released in relation to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program. The first of which pertains to the HHCAHPS Star Ratings Preview Reports that were released in September, and will influence the Care Compare update coming in October 2024.

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Understanding the Impact OASIS Section GG Changes will have on Home Health Agencies

The GG section of the OASIS is about to have a huge impact on all home health agencies through the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model. The GG items on the OASIS document have been included for several years and were originally taken from the SNF Assessment.

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Interim Performance Reports (IPR) July 2024 Update Released

Last week, the July update to the Interim Performance Reports (IPR) was released, marking the first time, data from all of 2023 has been included in the reports. The data covers all 12 months for every measure in Value-Based Purchasing.

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2025 Home Health Proposed Rule Clarifies Mandatory OASIS Requirements

On June 26, CMS released the 2025 Home Health Proposed Rule. Among the changes in this proposed rule include updates to OASIS requirements that will become mandatory in 2025.

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April Home Health Value Based Purchasing IPR Reports Released

At the end of April, the latest release of the Home Health Value Based Purchasing Interim Performance Reports (IPR) was released. This edition includes data calculations for the OASIS items through December 2023, providing a full year’s worth of data for 2023.

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Important Updates to Interpretive Guidelines for Home Health Surveys

In the March update, several changes have been made to the Interpretive Guidelines for Home Health Surveys. From clarifications to comprehensive assessments to nuanced adjustments in infection prevention protocols, each change adds layers of complexity for agencies striving for excellence in home health care delivery.

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January 2024 IPR Reports Released

The January 2024 IPR Reports have been published, updating the home health Value-Based Purchasing Model scores for agencies, using 2023 data. The reports, which were published in the first week of February, also provide updates to the July and October reports.

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Recent Updates to the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Expansion

As a result of updates to the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Expansion, CMS has introduced a new email address, released a comprehensive resource document, and released a document providing a summary of a conversation had by the Technical Expert Panel.

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The War Against the Behavioral Adjustment and How You Can Help

Since the release of the Home Health Proposed Rule in July of 2023 for 2024, the significance of the Behavioral Adjustment has been strongly emphasized – it’s a war we are losing and need to take action on.

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Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model Changes Effective 2025

The Home Health Final Rule for 2024 that was published at the beginning of November contained many changes – including ones that will specifically impact the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model in 2025.

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2024 Home Health Final Rule Released

The Home Health Final Rule for 2024 was published on November 1, 2023, and with it comes many changes. The outlined changes in the 531-page document will go into effect starting on January 1, 2024.

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October IPR Reports Released for HHVBP

In today’s Monday Minute, Melinda discusses the insight that can be taken from the October 2023 IPR reports.

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Payment Reduction when the Home Health Quality Reporting Requirements are Not Met

In this Monday Minute, we discuss the mandatory compliance of the Home Health Quality Reporting program.

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Preview Reports Released for the January 2024 Home Health Quality Reporting Program Care Compare Refresh

In this week’s Monday Minute, we discuss the recent release of preview reports for the Home Health Quality Reporting Program, which will be used for the Care Compare data refresh in January 2024.

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Reviewing Proposed Changes to the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model for 2025

In this week’s Monday Minute, we discuss the proposed changes specific to the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing model that will go into effect in 2025.

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Reviewing the First IPRs in the Recent Value-Based Purchasing Model Update

In today’s Monday Minute, we discuss the nationwide expansion of Value-Based Purchasing in 2023 and the release of the first IPR reports for review.

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Reviewing the 2024 Home Health Proposed Rule

In this weeks Monday Minute, we discuss the 2024 Home Health Proposed Rule.

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Reviewing the July IPR Release for the 2023 Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Expansion (VIDEO)

In this week’s Monday Minute, we discuss the IPR (Interim Performance Reports) that will be released in July for the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Expansion for 2023.

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Updated ABN Form Mandatory Implementation June 30, 2023 (VIDEO)

In today’s Monday Minute, we discuss the updated Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN) Form.

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Understanding the Impact of PIPR Reports on Medicare Certified Home Health Agencies (VIDEO)

In this week’s Monday Minute, we discuss the latest updates to the Value-Based Purchasing model, specifically focusing on the April 2023 release of the Pre-Implementation Performance Reports (PIPR).

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Improving Home Health Therapy Documentation – Let’s Get Moving!

Get an overview of therapy services in home health, including the importance of Home Health therapy documentation for compliance, quality of care, patient satisfaction, care coordination, and reimbursement.

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The Current State of TPE and How to Avoid Common Claim Denials for Home Health and Hospice

Discover the current state of TPE for Hospice and Home Health providers, along with the top claim denials and strategies on how to avoid them to prevent negative financial impacts.

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HPS QAPI Consulting Program Awarded “CHAP VERIFIED” Seal

COMMUNITY HEALTH ACCREDITATION PARTNER AWARDS QAPI CONSULTING BY HEALTHCARE PROVIDER SOLUTIONS ITS “CHAP VERIFIED” STATUS.

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Importance of Home Care Staff Education on HHCAHPS Scores (VIDEO)

In this week’s Monday Minute, we discuss HHCAHPS survey language and the significance of its use in communicating with patients to ensure positive outcomes.

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Value-Based Purchasing Pre-Implementation Performance Reports (PIPR) January 2023 Release (VIDEO)

In this week’s Monday Minute, we review the January 2023 provider Pre-Implementation Performance Reports (PIPR) that have been issued by CMS for Value-Based Purchasing.

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Is a Mock Survey in my Home Health or Hospice’s Best Interest?

Discover the importance of mock surveys for home health and hospice agencies and how they can help identify any weaknesses before an actual survey occurs.

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January 2023 Care Compare HHCAHPS Star Rating Update & HHCAHPS Reminders for Value-Based Purchasing (VIDEO)

In this week’s Monday Minute, we discuss the HHCAHPS Star Rating update that is coming soon to the Care Compare site and HHCAHPS reminders for Value-Based Purchasing.

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Reviewing Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Pre-Implementation (VIDEO)

In this week’s Monday Minute, we will review the Home Health Final Rule regarding Value-Based Purchasing that is set to begin in January 2023.

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HHCAHPS Survey Impact on the Value-Based Purchasing Model (VIDEO)

This week’s Monday Minute discusses the HHCAHPS survey’s impact on the Value-Based Purchasing model that will begin on January 1, 2023.

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How QAPI Processes Can Support Improvement in Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (VIDEO)

In this Minute, we will discuss the updated fact sheet related to the Public Health Emergency for the status of waivers for both home health and hospice individually.

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Transmittal Regarding NPP Oversite has been Rescinded (VIDEO)

This Minute will review the requirement that CMS tried to implement regarding collaboration with physicians when a NPP is certifying and/or signing home health orders and the result of the challenge, in the original transmittal being rescinded.

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OASIS-E Implementation is Imminent! (VIDEO)

This Minute will provide a high-level overview of the release of the OASIS E Guidance Manual and the significance of starting education NOW!

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Value Based Purchasing Benchmarks & Achievement Thresholds (VIDEO)

This minute reviews details surrounding the release of the baseline year benchmarks and achievement thresholds.

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HHCAHPS Impact on Value Based Purchasing & the Exemption Deadline (VIDEO)

This Monday Minute will highlight the deadline for HHCAHPS Participation Exemption and review the impact that the HHCAHPS results will have on Value Based Purchasing as it is rolled out in January 2023.

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Home Health Value Based Purchasing – Rollout 2023 (VIDEO)

This Monday Minute will touch on the highlights of the nationwide implementation of Home Health Value Based Purchasing, effective 1/1/2023.

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Care Compare January 2022 Refresh for HHQRP

This Monday Minute will take you through the highlights of the January 2022 Care Compare refresh of data.

We will provide a link to the updated Tips Report which gives you all of the information discussed in this minute plus more.

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Home Health & Hospice Quality Reporting Programs (VIDEO)

This Monday Minute will review the reality that the Home Health and Hospice Quality Reporting Program requirements were reinstated with penalties as of July 1, 2020. We will review the deadlines, what is included in those, and the penalties that will be assessed if you are not compliant.

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2022 Home Health Final Rule Includes DELAY in VBP (VIDEO)

This Monday Minute will review the 2022 Home Health Final Rule highlights, including the exciting announcement that Value Based Purchasing will be delayed until 2023. With this nationwide rollout being put off until January 2023, CMS is allowing for agencies to receive additional education to be able to figure out exactly how this Value Based Purchasing process works and be able to more fully understand how your agency can be successful under the Value Based Purchasing Model.

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The Impact of Hurricane Ida

This Monday Minute will touch on the impact that Hurricane Ida has had on home health and hospice and exceptions granted by CMS to this area.

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Review Choice Demonstration Update (VIDEO)

This minute covers the update for Florida and North Carolina Home Health Review Choice Demonstration (RCD). Palmetto GBA provides HHAs with a wealth of information addressing the requirements and expectations of the RCD. Make sure to stay tuned!

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More Details on the 2022 Home Health Proposed Rule (VIDEO)

This minute covers more details on the 2022 Home Health Proposed Rule. Register for our June15th webinar for more in depth information. Make sure to stay tuned!

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The Home Health Proposed Rule 2022 (VIDEO)

This minute covers some of the changes for the Home Health Proposed Rule that were released on June 21st. Make sure to stay tuned!

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Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Annual Report (VIDEO)

This Minute covers a review of the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model – Fourth Annual Report. Make sure to stay tuned!

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Home Health Proposed Payment Rule CY2021

CMS released the CY 2021 Home Health Proposed Payment Rule in June 2020. The proposed rule contains several updates and changes. These changes include PDGM Rates, Wage Index, Telehealth, Quality Reporting Program, and Billing RAPS. The RAP issue alone is enough to warrant EVERY agency in the nation sending in comments and requesting that this be changed! We must stand together.

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COVID-19: Interim Final Rule & What It Means for Home Health

There have been two Interim Final Rules, the most recent on May 1, that have been issued by CMS during this historic pandemic of the century. This Public Health Emergency (PHE) has taken the full focus of national officials and in the process, there have been sweeping concessions for healthcare, some permanent and others temporary.

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COVID-19: Imperative Home Health and Hospice Updates

This article was last updated on May 7, 2020.

As we are facing the pandemic of the century, home health and hospices are on the frontline of this Public Health Emergency (PHE) along with hospitals, physicians and all other healthcare workers. We at Healthcare Provider Solutions, Inc. would like to take this moment to thank each and every one of you for your true dedication to treating patients and helping the world to be a healthier place. HPS is dedicated to providing the Home Health and Hospice industries with the education and resources necessary to keep you performing at the highest level of success.

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PDGM Series: The 2020 Proposed Rule Update

January 1, 2020 will bring many new beginnings, including the Patient Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). No doubt the largest reimbursement system overhaul in home health since October 2000.
CMS continues to tweak the model and updates to the Claims Processing Manuals have begun.

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OASIS-D1 Update & PDGM Impact

CMS has announced that the revised OASIS-D1 instruments will be effective January 1, 2020. Changes to the OASIS-D data set and data collection guidance were finalized in the Calendar Year (CY) 2019 HH Final Rule, CMS 1689-FC.

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Are You Prepared? The Patient Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) Is Coming Soon

Home health agencies may find many of the changes to OASIS-D daunting, but there are several modifications that have helped make assessments easier than ever before. The Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act) is the primary driving force behind the OASIS changes.

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OASIS-D: ARE YOU READY FOR 2019?

OASIS has indeed changed again and quite dramatically this time. While there are 28 M items that have been deleted from the data set and only 6 new ones added, don’t be fooled into believing that this will be a breeze.

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2019 Value Based Purchasing Proposed Changes (UPDATED)

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) finalized all of the proposed changes to the Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Model for implementation January 1, 2019. One of the refinements of VBP removed five measures, while adding two new composite measures.

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2019 Home Health Proposed Payment Rule – PDGM 2020

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) released the CY2019 Medicare Home Health payment rule July 12, 2018. This proposed rule is voluminous and carries an immense number of proposed changes. HPS will continue analyzing and updating the proposed elements of this rule.

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CAHPS – Home Health & Hospice

Are you monitoring the agency’s CAHPS results? There are numerous questions on the survey that the patients must complete, but only selected ones go into the outcome measure calculations. Home Health CAHPS results have been reported on the Home Health Compare website for quite some time, while the results for the CAHPS Hospice Survey just began being public reported on Hospice Compare 02/22/18. One of the lowest scoring…

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2018 Home Health Final Rule

The Breaking News that has every one full of excitement and hope is that the 2018 Home Health Final Rule does NOT include finalizing HHGM, at this time, which was set for implementation in 2019! The battle has been won, BUT the war has just begun! Some form of payment reform will occur in home health. It is not…

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2018 Home Health Proposed Rule – HH QRP

The 2018 Home Health Proposed Rule was released 07/28/17. The 2018 Home Health Proposed Payment Rule – Including Intro to HHGM regarding this rule primarily discussed the proposed reimbursement changes for 2018 as well as the massive changes to the Prospective Payment System in the form of HHGM. The following is a recap of the proposed changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP).

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2018 Home Health Proposed Payment Rule – Including Intro to HHGM

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service (CMS) released the CY2018 Medicare Home Health payment rule last week. This proposed rule is voluminous and carries an immense number of proposed changes.  HPS will continue analyzing and updating on the proposed elements of this rule.

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Delayed Implementation of Home Health CoPs

Last week CMS issued a Final Rule that changed the new Home Health CoPs rule implementation date to January 13, 2018. HPS announced the proposed rule a few months ago. NAHC and the Forum of State Associations spearheaded this effort to postpone the rule because of the extensive changes that are…

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Home Health PEPPER is HOT!

One of the Hot Topics surrounding the medical review contractors and Medicare MACs is Home Health PEPPER (Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report)! Pepper is an accumulation and calculation of certain statistics that result from claims data. These Medicare claims data statistics are calculated for areas that may be at risk for improper Medicare payments such as…

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HHCAHPS – Improvement in Specific Care Issues

Are you monitoring the agency’s HHCAHPS Star Ratings? There are numerous questions on the survey that the patients must complete, but only selected ones go into the outcome calculation and eventual star rating. The Composite Measure – Specific Care Issues, seems to be one that most agencies struggle with. The specific questions from the survey…

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Negative Pressure Wound Therapy with a Disposable Device Billing Specifics (NPWT)

The 2017 Final Home Care Rule included clarification that payment for the NPWT device is when a HHA “furnishes NPWT using a disposable device” to mean when the HHA provider is either initially applying an entirely new disposable NPWT device, or removing a disposable NPWT device and replacing it with an entirely new one.

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Home Health COPs Delayed

CMS just issued a proposed rule that will change the new Home Health CoP rule effective date to January 13, 2018. NAHC and the Forum of State Associations spearheaded an effort to postpone the rule because of the extensive changes that are required and the absence of needed interpretive guidance to properly comply.

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Are You Thriving?

The constant additions of new programs and new methods, updates and consideration of changes is almost unbearable for some agencies.  Home Health has been hit really hard since 2008 and no relief seems to be coming.   Value-Based Purchasing, Pre-Claim Review, New CoPs, OASIS-C2, ICD-10 CM and now possibly major changes to the Prospective Payment System in regard to reimbursement.

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BREAKING NEWS – PRE-CLAIM REVIEW DELAYED

After much work and dedication from the Home Care Association of Florida (HCAF), the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC), wonderful Senators from Florida, other State Home Care…

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Pressure Ulcer Unlearning!

Unlearning: to put out of one’s knowledge or memory or to undo the effect of or discard the habit of.  This is what we have to do with most everything…

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HHCAHPS – Is There Room for Improvement?

Home Health Agencies are required to conduct HHCAHPS through a third party vendor and submit that data to CMS, assuming the agencies has treated 60 Medicare patients in a given…

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The Continued Culture Change to Quality

When agencies take a hardcore look at what the culture of the agency is today, they will typically find that concern at monthly meetings revolves around drops in number of…

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Culture of Quality

How hard is it to develop a culture? One definition of culture: A culture is a way of life of a group of people–the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that…

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Can You Afford to Ignore?

Home Health Agencies across the country face continuing payment cuts in all aspects of their payer mix.  Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and commercial payers continue to cut rates and in…

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Value Based Purchasing: What We Weren’t Sure of!

Value Based Purchasing is alive and well and dwelling within Nine States! Agencies have been hard at work preparing for this and continue to strive toward being the best that…

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Are You Overwhelmed by it All?

It seems that everything is happening at once and agencies are beginning to feel the pressure, more than ever, to keep up with it all and make sure they reach…

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