X

Blog Subscribe

Changes Are Coming … Is Your Agency Ready????
Author: Debbie Cunningham RN, HCS-D, HCS-O
Date: August 26, 2013
There have been a number of recent changes in 2013 to home health, impacting agencies bottom lines either due to reductions or increased complexities in billing and claims processing. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be much reprieve in sight looking into 2014, and the chief question on your mind... Keep Reading
When Being Disruptive At Home Is A Good Thing
Author: Dr. Jack Lewin, Lewin and Associates, LLC
Date: July 25, 2013
This blog article was featured originally on the Alliance for Home Health Quality and Innovation(AHHQI) website. Dr. Jack Lewin is the Chairman of the National Coalition on Health Care. Dr. Lewin is a primary care physician trained in internal medicine with experience in medical practice, public health, hospital leadership, health... Keep Reading
Does Your Agency Have An Effective Quality Assurance Program?
Author: Karen Price, RN, COS-C
Date: July 9, 2013
During my years working in home health, and all the agencies with which I have been associated have had a Quality Assurance Program (QA). Most state licensing programs and accrediting organizations require home health agencies to have a quality assurance program. Many agencies may view this as simply another burden... Keep Reading
Reaping the Benefits of an EHR, It Starts Upfront
Author: Andrew Awoniyi, ND, RN-BC
Date: June 13, 2013
In the widely cited paper “Can electronic medical record systems transform health care? Potential health benefits, savings, and costs.” published in 2005 by a group of RAND Corporation researchers, the projection was made that the adoption of Health IT could potentially save the US more than $81 billion annually.1 However... Keep Reading
Healthcare Technology – Making Teamwork Work
Author: John Olajide, Founder and CEO, Axxess
Date: May 29, 2013
In my last blog post, I talked about how technology and the need to curb rising healthcare costs are creating unprecedented opportunities to explore new models of care delivery in patients’ homes. Today, I will share an example of how technology is disrupting traditional healthcare delivery models and facilitating full-team... Keep Reading
Home Health Agencies to Stop using Type of Bill 033x
Author: National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC)
Date: May 25, 2013
May 23, 2013 04:26 PM The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid services has released change request 8244 that provides instructions for home health agencies to discontinue the use of Type of Bill (TOB) 033x and redefines TOB 032x to mean “Home Health Services under a Plan of Treatment.” Currently, home health agencies... Keep Reading
Disposal Options for Expired and Unused Medications in Home Care
Author: Jennifer Gibson Osburn RN, HCS-D ICD-10-CM, COS-C, Senior Clinical Consultant
Date: May 22, 2013
Often while admitting patients, and on subsequent visits during medication management, I have run into a familiar scenario. The time comes to assess the medication regimen, and like Sherlock Holmes, I begin asking questions. Once it is established that I want to see the patient’s medications in their bottles, the... Keep Reading
Independent Case Study: Axxess Helps Usher Home Healthcare into the Future
Author: Jennifer Gibson Osburn RN, HCS-D ICD-10-CM, COS-C, Senior Clinical Consultant
Date: May 15, 2013
Software Advice, a third-party reviews website, recently published an independent case study that highlights how Axxess is helping home health agencies improve patient outcomes, streamline operations, grow, reduce preventable hospital readmissions and usher home health care into the future. Axxess helps home health agencies deliver a higher level of patient care... Keep Reading
CMS J11 MAC (Palmetto GBA) Suppresses RAP Payments
Author: National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC)
Date: April 24, 2013
Palmetto GBA, the largest home health and hospice Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) has taken steps to suppress payments to home health agencies identified as having a “high number” of auto-cancelled Requests for Anticipated Payment (RAP). The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) learned that RAP payments are being... Keep Reading
ICD-10 Will Be Here Before You Know It…….Are You Ready?
Author: Karen Price, RN, COS-C
Date: April 22, 2013
ICD-10 will be here in a few short months.  The deadline for implementation is October 1, 2014.  Have you begun your ICD-10 implementation plan yet?  Do you know where to start? It is a very daunting task and overwhelming just to think about for most providers.  There are some simple... Keep Reading
CMS System Glitch Affects Processing of Home Health Final Claims
Author: Debbie Cunningham RN, HCS-D, HCS-O
Date: April 4, 2013
The Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) has identified technical issues with certain parts of the April 2013 quarterly update to their computer system and has instructed all Medicare Administrative Contractors (e.g. Palmetto GBA, CIGNA, NGS, Anthem) to hold all EOE (End of Episode) claims with ending dates ‘Through dates’ of... Keep Reading
PECOS Audit to begin May 1, 2013- What You Need to Know to Prevent Denial of Claims
Author: Karen Price, Layo Ogunbanwo, and Jennifer Gibson
Date: April 1, 2013
On May 1, 2013, Phase two of Medicare’s ordering physician PECOS enrollment status audit will go into full effect. This enrollment audit, and PECOS- Provider Enrollment Chain and Ownership System, is part of the Affordable Care Act, section 6405. Beginning May 1, 2013, Home Health claims that are audited and DO... Keep Reading
« Older Posts
Newer Posts »