COVID-19 Discharge Planning Waivers Link to Patients’ Freedom of Choice
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a number of waivers of various requirements for healthcare providers.
Payers: 2020 Supplemental Benefits for Chronic Conditions Doubled
In 2020, Medicare Advantage (MA) plans have doubled the number of condition-specific supplemental benefits from approximately 820 to 1,850.
Physician Assistant Workforce Under Turmoil
Twenty-one states have taken action to suspend or waive certain practice requirements for physician assistants in response to COVID-19.
COVID-19 Healthcare Workforce and Revenue Reductions: U.S. Home Health Workforce
A recent survey across the U.S revealed the devastation of reduced revenue, patient’s refusal to accept physician-ordered care, and loss of the workforce.
COVID-19 Healthcare Workforce and Revenue Reductions: Aides and Personal Care Workforce
3.5 million low-wage workers are in the health and social services industry, with the greatest number of those (1.3 million) working as aides or personal care workers
COVID-19 Healthcare Workforce and Revenue Reductions: Physician Workforce
The data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found dentists' offices had the most losses with 503,000. Physicians' offices lost 243,000.
COVID-19: End-of-Life Care for Patients and Providers
Are health care systems, patients, and families prepared for tough conversations and decisions about health care preferences and medical interventions?
COVID-19: Protecting Healthcare Workers
Concern for healthcare workers in every setting knows no bounds! Providers' imperative is clear: everything possible must be done to keep them safe.
COVID-19 Best Practices Infection Prevention: Compliance and Training
COVID-19 training and prevention resources at your fingertips. You will find these resources important for compliance and infection prevention.
Payment Recommendations for 2021
In its March 2020 report to the Congress, MedPAC makes payment policy recommendations for provider sectors in fee-for-service (FFS).
Report: Medicare’s Hospital Post-Acute Care Transfer Policy to Hospice
Aggressive moves by payers teaming up with big players such as CVS are advancing their healthcare programs into the home. How does this impact healthcare organizations?
Payers Advancing Knee Replacement Care Into the Home
Aggressive moves by payers teaming up with big players such as CVS are advancing their healthcare programs into the home. How does this impact healthcare organizations?
Case Study: Payer and Provider Model: Managing Higher Acuity in the Home
Landmark estimates about 20 percent of chronically ill patients currently experience a gap in the care they are receiving, which can be addressed through medical care, support and education provided in the home.
Medicare’s Option to Avoid the Emergency Department
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation’s Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport (ET3) Model is designed to test expanded care destination alternatives to the ED for Medicare beneficiaries who call 911.
Hospital-Level Care in the Home Lowered Costs and had Better Outcomes
A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that at-home patients fared better than those in the hospital when it came to price and outcomes.
Peer Case Study: Community-Based Paramedicine Model
CMS recently announced the Emergency Triage, Treat, and Transport model, which provides greater flexibility to ambulance care teams to address emergency health care needs of certain Medicare beneficiaries following a 911 call.Â
CMS Is Rolling Out Community Care Corps: Volunteer Caregivers
How can providers offer support for caregivers? A key way for providers to assist may be to collaborate with charitable organizations in the community.
Medicare Advantage Plans Proposed Rules 2021-2022 Changes Care Management Requirements
Medicare Advantage and Part D programs for contract years 2021 and 2022Â has provisions changing care management requirements for special needs plans.
Patients’ Right to Freedom of Choice of Providers – Unexpected Allies
Post-acute providers, patients, and their families have very successfully raised issues with hospital administrations related to patients' right to choose.
8% Physical Therapy Cuts Questioned By Lawmakers
Nearly 100 U.S. lawmakers submitted a letter to CMS concerned about proposed cuts in Medicare payments for physical and occupational therapy services.Â
End-Stage Renal Disease Beneficiaries Can Enroll in Medicare Advantage Plans
In a proposed rule issued on February 5, CMS announced that beneficiaries with ESRD will be able to enroll in Medicare Advantage Plans starting in 2021.
Medicare Advantage Plans Expanding Telehealth Usage
CMS issued a proposed rule and the Advance Notice Part II to further strengthen and modernize the Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug programs.
Five Ways Post-Acute Providers Can Partner With Physicians
Physicians are thinking more seriously about how to succeed in the MIPS Cost category. Consider these 5 ways to help physicians reduce costs in healthcare.
CMS Combining Post-Acute Compare Websites Into One
CMS is planning to combine and standardize eight separate Compare websites into one point of entry, offer Medicare beneficiaries a consistent look and feel.
Fraud and Abuse Enforcers Target Discharge Planners Again
Recent federal cases make it quite clear that marketers for home health companies and discharge planners/case managers must just say, "NO!" The "jig is up."
2020 ACOs Taking on More Risk
The number of ACOs taking on risk for cost increases grew from 93 ACOs at the start of 2019 to 192 at the start of 2020.
Insight Report: Payment Recommendations 2021
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission recommended that Congress reduce the payments for Home Health by 7% in 2021.
Largest Home-Based Cardiac Rehab Reduces Readmissions to Less Than 2%
Kaiser Permanente’s virtual cardiac rehabilitation program has enrolled more than 2,300 patients, making it one of the largest such programs in the U.S.
More Deaths Occur in the Home vs. Hospital and Nursing Facilities
For the first time since the early 20th century, the home has become the common place among American’s dying of natural causes.
Post-Acute Business Industry News
Post-acute ACO adds 200 new long-term care facilities, new appointments, home medical equipment acquisitions, mergers and acquisitions, and more.
2020 Senior Living Communities Are Aligning with Medicare Advantage Plans to Address High-Cost, High-Need Patients
An integrated program of services can contribute to reducing the cost of care and services to Medicare beneficiaries residing in seniors housing.
Arrangements with Referring Physicians and Home Care Providers: Recent Action
Now is the time for all home care providers to review agreements and their practices with regard to payments to referring physicians.
Industry Business News
LHC Group announces senior management change, and Amedisys acquires Asana Hospice.
2020 New Models For Chronic Care Management In The Home
The tides are shifting the expectations of home care. Pressure from reimbursement, shifting payment models, and value-based care are driving the change.
Post-Acute Care Transfer Policy: The Overpayment for Discharges
Medicare improperly paid acute-care hospitals $54.4 million for 18,647 claims subject to the Post-Acute Care Transfer (PACT) policy.
Physical Therapists Facing Layoffs Across the Healthcare Industry
Physical therapists once in such high-demand are facing massive layoffs across the industry because of reimbursement changes to skilled nursing facilities .
Chronic Care Management Payments Expand Under The Final 2020 Physician Fee Schedule Quality Payment Program
CMS is increasing payment for transitional care management services provided after discharge from an inpatient stay or certain outpatient stays.
Prior Authorizations: The Saga Continues For Providers
Starting November 1, UnitedHealthcare will not pay for unplanned surgeries in an outpatient setting unless it determines the site is medically necessary.
Physician Stark Law Rules Revamped: New Rules Address Care Coordination
The new rules will give providers in value-based arrangements greater certainty and ease the compliance burden for providers across the industry.
Proposed Stark Law Reform: What It Means To Post Acute Providers
The proposed rules recognize that incentives are different in a healthcare system that pays for value rather than the volume of services provided.
Fall Prevention: Second-Leading Diagnosis For Readmissions
Falls were the leading reason for readmission among patients whose initial hospital was fall-related and who were discharged to home, even with home care.
Fall Prevention: Second-Leading Diagnosis For Readmissions
Falls were the leading reason for readmission among patients whose initial hospital was fall-related and who were discharged to home, even with home care.
Medicare Advantage Plans: 11 Major Changes In 2020
Private Medicare plans will soon include expanded plan options for seniors, more telehealth, and innovative plan designs and payment models.
Discharge Planning Process Requires Post-Acute Quality Measures And More
New Discharge Planning Conditions of Participation require hospitals to assist patients, their families/caregivers in selecting a post-acute care provider.
Medicare Advantage Plans Add New Risk Codes For Dementia
Medicare Advantage (MA) Plans are adding two new dementia codes in their risk adjustment payment system and expanding flexibility in the MA benefit design.
Post-Acute Unified Value-Based Incentive Program: 5% Withhold Recommended
A unified value-based incentive program for SNFs, home health services, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term care hospitals is recommended.
Care Management Challenges and Barriers for High-Cost Medicaid Beneficiaries
A GAO report explored the efforts to manage high-expenditure beneficiaries, which are 5% of all Medicaid beneficiaries but nearly half of all expenditures.
Care Management Challenges and Barriers for High-Cost Medicaid Beneficiaries
A GAO report explored the efforts to manage high-expenditure beneficiaries, which are 5% of all Medicaid beneficiaries but nearly half of all expenditures.
Post-Acute Unified Value-Based Incentive Program: 5% Withhold Recommended
A unified value-based incentive program for SNFs, home health services, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, and long-term care hospitals is recommended.
Why Do Providers Continue to Enter Into Business/Referral Relationships Without Meeting Applicable Requirements?
Why do providers continue to enter into business/referral relationships without meeting applicable requirements, thereby violating the law?
What Happens to Medicare Costs When Beneficiaries Do Not Receive Help With Daily Activities?
One of five people with self-care disabilities reported negative consequences from not having help with activities they had trouble performing on their own.
Third-Leading Cause of Readmissions are Falls
Fall-related injuries are a major reason why seniors are readmitted to the hospital within a month after being discharged, a new study finds.
How a Payer and In-Home Physician-Led Model Create New Solutions for Complex Care
This issue of FutureFocus highlights the innovation of an in-home, physician-led model working collaboratively with a payer to manage complex care.
10 Ways To Identify Future Partnerships Between Physician Practices and the Home Care Industry
In this issue of FutureFocus, we offer up 10 ways to identify future partnerships between physicians and the home care industry.
Where Do the Highest Risk of Readmissions Come From?
This issue of FutureFocus identifies the highest risk of readmissions that are impacting outcomes in the CMS value-based purchasing program.
CMS Primary Cares Initiative: New Payment Models For Care In The Home and Hospice for Chronic Care
The new Primary Cares Initiative that will transform care and payment for complex, high-need patients who are able to stay healthy in their own homes.
Hip and Knee Replacement: Home Discharge Insights
Studies show that patients sent home after knee and hip replacements do not have higher rates of complications than those who went to rehab facilities.
Revised Guidelines for Home and Community-Based Services
New guidance has been issued by CMS about where Medicaid beneficiaries can receive home and community-based services, impacting many providers.
EHR Incentives for PAC Providers: What Will CMS Recommend?
A new RFI has been issued by CMS to ask for stakeholder feedback about the best ways to incent EHR adoption in post-acute settings.
Hospitals Can Provide Free In-Home Services to Discharged Patients: OIG Advisory
The OIG posted Advisory Opinion No. 10-03 on March 6, 2019, which permits hospitals to provide free, in-home follow up care to discharged patients.
