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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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 Preview Annual Performance Reports for the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model

CMS has recently released the Preview Annual Performance Reports for the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model. You can access these reports in the iQIES system, where you’ve been reviewing the Interim Performance Reports (IPR). This Preview Report introduces, for the first time, the percentage calculations showing how your 2023 results will affect your 2025 payments.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Reviewing the 2023 Home Health Final Rule (VIDEO)

In this Monday Minute, we review the 2023 Home Health Final Rule that was released on October 31, 2022.

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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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Implementation of OASIS-E and High Level Changes to the Data Set (VIDEO)

This Monday Minute reviews highlights of the instruction for completion of some of the new items in OASIS-E and other changes to the Data Set.

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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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Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Program Nationwide Expansion

The expanded Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model will use benchmarks, achievement thresholds, and improvement thresholds, based on baseline year data, to calculate achievement and improvement of Home Health Agency performance on quality measures.

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2023 Home Health Proposed Payment Rule (VIDEO)

This Minute will do a high-level review of the reimbursement and Value-Based Purchasing proposed changes for 2023.

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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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Value Based Purchasing – Impact of OASIS Items (VIDEO)

This Monday Minute will take you through some of the key components of OASIS and the impact they have on the Value Based Purchasing outcome measures.

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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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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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Value Based Purchasing Nationwide Rollout 2022 (VIDEO)

This Minute briefly reviews some of the highlights of Value Based Purchasing and what has been proposed. Value-Based purchasing has been proposed in the form of a nationwide rollout for home health beginning in January 2022.

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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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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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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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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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Home Health MedPAC Report to Congress

Each year the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) submits its annual report to Congress which contains information and recommendations related to Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) programs. This article details the 2018 annual report recommendations for Home Health.

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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 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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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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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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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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The Nervous Nine Have Been Confirmed!

Are you one of The Confirmed Nervous Nine? The Nervous Nine are the Nine States that have been selected for the Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Pilot Program under the Medicare Home…

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The Nervous Nine!

Are you one of The Nervous Nine? The Nervous Nine are the Nine States that have been selected for the Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Pilot Program under the Medicare Home Care…

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