The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced the Hospice Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) model to help patients experience a smooth transition to end-of-life care, ensuring that patient-centered needs are met by hospice providers. This model also ensures that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans are financially responsible for hospice services.... Keep Reading

Data security in healthcare is critical to keep organizations compliant and maintain the trust of patients and their families. Breaches can bring costs that include literal dollars (ransomware, fines, legal fees, etc.) and less tangible but still important expenses (reputation, trust, etc.). The healthcare industry is, by now, quite familiar... Keep Reading

Home-based care has come a long way since 2020. But for the industry to rise to the next level and better leverage innovative technologies, a greater degree of interoperability is needed, according to Tim Ingram, executive vice president of interoperability at Axxess. In this Future in Focus interview, Home Health Care... Keep Reading

Hospice care has historically been grounded in person-to-person communication without a heavy reliance on technology. However, drastically increased hospice utilization and the pandemic-driven adoption of technology across health care settings have transformed the landscape entirely. In order to stay competitive in a rapidly changing, tech-forward hospice environment, many providers are seeking... Keep Reading

All healthcare organizations are collecting immense amounts of data, but very rarely are providers using it to its fullest potential. Hospice, with its high-touch nature, is no exception, and providers who optimize the use of their data can gain critical insights that aid in every aspect of care delivery. As business... Keep Reading

Staffing is the biggest pain point in the industry today and will continue to pose challenges in the upcoming years. As home-based care organizations grapple with fewer staff and rising demands, many are turning to technology to help ease the burden. To better understand the drivers, trends and opportunities around the... Keep Reading

As the hospice landscape shifts and hospice care is delivered more widely, another care type has made entry into the conversation: palliative care. However, unlike hospice services, which have a distinct payment model supported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), palliative care has less established infrastructure for... Keep Reading

Hospice providers digesting the recent FY 2024 final rule saw an increase in per diem payments but it wasn’t enough to match the rise in inflation. And as the saying goes, “the devil is in the details” because the 3.1% increase comes with a caveat. Wage index calculations are just... Keep Reading

Each year updates are developed to the ICD-10 codes used across healthcare settings. The codes serve as a sort of common language in healthcare that allows anyone who understands the codes to quickly know a patient’s diagnosis. On October 1, the 2023 ICD-10 code updates went into effect and they... Keep Reading

In an effort to better assess and improve the patient experience using the hospice benefit, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Hospice Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) model. One change under the Hospice VBID model is the claims process. Under this model, hospice organizations are allowed to... Keep Reading

For decades, hospice care has operated in a perceived silo with the rest of the healthcare continuum. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) launched the Hospice Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model and made a point to include palliative care. To explain the nuances of palliative care’s role in... Keep Reading

There is a prevailing maxim in business: “What gets measured, gets improved.” To achieve operational excellence, care at home organizations are typically best served by understanding the all aspects of their business and constantly looking for ways to improve. Effective efficiency becomes imperative in an environment of shrinking reimbursements and... Keep Reading