The coronavirus pandemic did not stop the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) from making substantial billing changes for home health providers, including the Request for Anticipated Payment (RAP), cash upfront per Medicare patient, morphing into a no-pay RAP in 2021.
This elimination is consistent with a trend from Medicare.... Keep Reading
During most home care visits, caregivers are tasked with repetitive duties like administering medications and providing medical treatments. Since documentation of these tasks is mandatory and involves many tedious elements, caregivers often find themselves spending more time documenting an activity than performing it.
Selecting a home care software with built-in documentation... Keep Reading
The Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for hospice care require hospice organizations to assess patients and their families’ spiritual needs and provide spiritual counseling if the patient chooses to accept these services.
The State Operations Manual (SOM) Interpretive Guidelines instruct surveyors to determine through an interview, clinical record review and home... Keep Reading
The nation’s healthcare system was severely tested in 2020, leaving many providers exhausted and hopeful that the new year would bring with it some relief.
The Crystal Ball: 2021 Federal Legislative and Regulatory Outlook for Home-Based Care Agency Providers event presented clear industry predictions for providers by reflecting on the lessons... Keep Reading
Caregivers want to help others. They also want to have meaningful work, a reliable career path and adequate pay. Organizations want to retain caregivers and provide exceptional care to clients.
These ideas intersect with proper training. Training is the key to caregivers feeling confident and providing great care and organizations retaining... Keep Reading
The revised Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) took effect in 2021, with a new claims-based quality measure replacing the previous quality-based Section O measure pair.
While hospice organizations can continue to record Section O data, adapting to the new quality measure through documentation in a regulations-compliant hospice software is essential to... Keep Reading
Financial success in the home care industry was challenging in 2020. Many home care organizations were hit with an increase in expenses and a drop in revenue, with necessary operational expenses brought on by COVID-19 and many clients choosing to decline home care due to social distancing.
While unusual, the experience... Keep Reading
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021, a COVID-19 relief package months in the making, has passed and contains many benefits for hospice organizations. Still, it comes with significant changes that affect current business operations.
Establishing and Enforcing the HOSPICE Program
Negative findings from two 2019 reports by the Department of Health and... Keep Reading
Good news for home healthcare organizations – more COVID-19 relief is on the way.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021 has been signed by President Trump and will offer organizations much-needed assistance by extending some elements of the CARES Act and providing additional stimulus money.
Home healthcare organizations will be directly impacted... Keep Reading
In a recent episode, the Help Choose Home podcast welcomed Sara Wilson, president and CEO of Home Assist Health, Inc. A nonprofit organization that serves Arizona residents in greater Maricopa County, Home Assist Health helps private pay and Medicaid clients pursue independent lifestyles in the comfort and familiarity of home.
An... Keep Reading
Working on the front lines during the COVID-19 pandemic has its risks. Healthcare professionals in high numbers are suffering from a new hardship known as “pandemic fatigue.”
Pandemic fatigue occurs in workers who are taking care of patients, trying to maintain their own health and support their families, all while risking... Keep Reading
Ending 2020 with good news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is coordinating distribution of recently approved COVID-19 vaccines through state health departments, networks of independent pharmacies and federal agencies, such as the Indian Health Service. Vaccine distribution is being allocated through a phased approach, with phase one... Keep Reading