HHS Committee Pushes For Further PACE Expansion

A new report from the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services could be the first step in further expanding the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model nationwide. Specifically, the committee believes that expanding PACE to more rural parts of the U.S. will help close gaps in long-term care. “[We] […]

‘We’re Payer Selective’: How Home Health Providers Are Navigating The Payer Evolution

Medicare fee-for-service rates are not where home health providers want them to be. That’s forced their hand when negotiating rates with other payer sources. “We are payer agnostic, but we’re payer selective,” Traditions Health CEO David Klementz said Thursday at Home Health Care News’ Capital + Strategy event in Washington, D.C. Traditions Health is a […]

3 Ways To Modernize Medicare’s Home Health Benefit

Home health stakeholders often talk about the need to modernize the Medicare home health benefit. What they are often getting at is the need to make it easier for providers to deliver crucial care, while, in turn, creating better access to care. “We constantly need to be thinking about what’s ahead, how to improve this […]

Following 7% Home Health Cut Recommendation, MedPAC Releases Annual Report To Congress

Back in January, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) voted unanimously to recommend a 7% payment cut for home health agencies in 2024. The commission officially released its report to Congress on Wednesday. Broadly, the report covers Medicare payment policy, including the Medicare fee-for-service payment systems for home health care. Roughly 3 million Medicare fee-for-service […]

Home-Based Cardiac Rehab Led To A 36% Lower Likelihood Of Death, Study Shows

Participating in home-based cardiac rehabilitation — following a heart attack or cardiac procedure — can help lower the possibility of death resulting from heart-related complications. Specifically, home-based cardiac rehabilitation led to a 36% decrease in death within four years of participation. That’s according to new research published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart […]

Why PACE Will Be A Bigger Piece In The Long-Term Care Puzzle In 2023

In the new year, a number of states will expand their Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) efforts. PACE has been touted not only as a major opportunity for home-based care providers, but also a risk- and value-based program that actually works for seniors when done right. During the height of the pandemic, […]

Home Health Care Serving ‘Older, Sicker, Poorer’ Patient Populations

Almost half of Medicare beneficiaries utilizing home health care services have five or more chronic conditions. This is also true when looking at Medicare Advantage (MA) beneficiaries, according to data from the Research Institute for Home Care (RIHC). RIHC recently released its 2022 Home Care Chartbook, a detailed overview of the home health landscape that […]

Final Rule ‘Blunts Immediate Impact,’ But CMS-Home Health Industry Core Disagreement Remains

Nearly five months after the unveiling of the proposed payment rule caused a stir among home health stakeholders and advocates, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final payment rule on Monday. Back in June, CMS proposed a 4.2% aggregate decrease for 2023, a cut the industry at large felt would […]

Mapping Out A Unified Post-Acute Care Payment System Prototype

The idea of a unified post-acute care payment system has captured the imagination of home health industry stakeholders for years. One question that has always loomed large, however, was how one payment system could be applied to skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), in-patient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) and, of course, home health providers. […]

Healing Hands CEO Summer Napier: Medicare Cuts Put Home Health Innovation On The Chopping Block

A former hospital nurse and now the CEO of Healing Hands Healthcare, Summer Napier is all about home health innovation. That’s why – since opening in 2016 – the Texas-based Healing Hands has launched a multi-faceted hospital-at-home initiative and a home-based oncology care program. It’s also why Healing Hands is so bullish on forward-thinking legislation […]