Latest News
Understanding Differences in Medicare Policy and Conditions of Participation
by Johnathan Eaves, Senior Director of Communications, Axxess Treating Medicare patients comes with a level of nuance that is important to understand to ensure that organizations remain compliant and patients receive appropriate care. Standards for quality care and...
80/20 Finalized Rule
by Kristin Rowan, Editor The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has finalized the "Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services" rule, more commonly known as the 80/20 rule. The 80/20 finalized rule requires at least 80% of Medicaid payments for home care...
HOPE is on the Way: Part 3
By Beth Noyce, RN, BSJMC, BCHH-C, COQS CHAP-certified home health & hospice consultant This is part 3 of the 3 in the series, outlining the discussions and implications in adopting new outcome and process measures for Hospice care. The final segment addresses...
Private Duty Home Care in Fraud Enforcers’ Crosshairs
by Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq. Some owners and managers of private duty home care agencies mistakenly think that fraud and abuse prohibitions apply only to services paid for by the Medicare Program. In fact, fraud and abuse prohibitions apply to providers if they accept...
HHAeXchange Makes Leadership Changes
by Kristin Rowan, Editor On February 21, 2024, HHAeXchange announced a change in leadership for the homecare management solutions company. Former Chief Revenue Officer Scott Schwartz was named Chief Operating Officer and new hire Lori Harrington came on board as the...
HOPE is on the Way: Part 2 – Process Measures
by Beth Noyce, RN, BSJMC, HCS-C, BCHH-C, COQS CHAP-certified home health & hospice consultant Process Measures The outcome measures being considered look at effectiveness of hospice clinical efforts to decrease pain and other symptoms. The process measures paired...
Home Care Worker Safety: Aftermath of Home Health Nurse Death
by Kristin Rowan, Editor In October of 2023, nurse Joyce Grayson went to the home (halfway house) of a released convict. She was later found dead in the basement of the house. The immediate response to this tragic event was an increase in nurses being afraid to do...
HIPAA: Access to Records
By Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq. A key purpose of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is certainly to protect patient information. Another is to help ensure that patients have access to their health information. In fact, the Office of Civil...
Adding Insult to Injury: Change Healthcare Attacked Again
by Kristin Rowan, Editor For a few weeks now, we have been covering the Change Healthcare cyberattack by ALPHV/BlackCat and the subsequent updates from CMS. Pharmacy and medical orders have been delayed, providers and patients are suffering, and CMS has issued...
HOPE is on the Way: Part 1 – Outcome Measures
By Beth Noyce, RN, BSJMC, HCS-C, BCHH-C, COQS Home health & hospice consultant The Hospice Outcome Patient Evaluation is a step closer to implementation. After four years of considering options, the Technical Expert Panel (TEP) has finished its work that will...
Is the Covid Boost for Telehealth Over?
by Tim Rowan, Editor Emeritus
Many telehealth companies are experiencing losses, some severe, since Covid case numbers started to decline. Is there not still a need for Remote Patient Monitoring in Home Healthcare? Editor Emeritus Tim Rowan explores recent financials and offers his answer to that question.
CMS Hospice Payment Rate FY 2025 Proposal
By Kristin Rowan, Editor On March 28, CMS issued a new proposed rule to update Medicare hospice payments. Here's what we know. The new proposed rule: Would change the existing hospice wage index Clarifies current policy related to the hospice "eletion statement" and...