The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is pushing a “profoundly flawed” system through its proposed changes to the durable medical equipment orthotics, prosthetics and supplies (DMEPOS) competitive bidding program, the American Association for Homecare writes in a recent letter to the agency. CMS’ proposed rule seeks to use single payment amounts (SPAs) from […]
Transitional care interventions, which aim to improve care transitions from hospital to home, help reduce hospital readmissions 31 to 365 days after discharge, a study in Health Affairs’ latest issue shows. But the study’s authors found that only high-intensity interventions — including the need for home care visits — seemed to be effective in reducing […]
The owner and operator of a Miami, Fla., home health care company was sentenced to more than six years in prison Monday for her alleged participation in a $6.5 million Medicare fraud scheme, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced. Cruz Sonia Collado, 64, was an owner and operator of the now-defunct home health care […]
Home health care leaders are again vying for Medicare beneficiaries and industry workers, following suggestions that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) further cut funding and keep the “burdensome” face-to-face narrative requirement. The Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare expressed disappointment in the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (MedPAC) letter to CMS, which called for […]
In the health care industry’s quest to lower avoidable hospital readmission rates, recent findings by state Medicaid Medical Directors (MMD) now highlight the high costs — and prevalence — of Medicaid readmissions. The 30-day Medicaid readmissions rates for 19 participating states varied, but accounted for an average of 9.4% of all admissions, according to MMD […]
In one of Minnesota’s largest labor organizing efforts since the Depression, thousands of home care workers across the state voted to create their own union, according to several reports. The final tally was 3,543 in favor of a union and 2,306 opposed, according to data released Tuesday by the state’s Bureau of Mediation Services. With the […]
Since Ohio’s new managed care plan for dual eligibles rolled out locally in July, home health workers — and their agencies — have been struggling to adjust to payment processing changes, The Columbus Dispatch reports. Before the plan, called “MyCare Ohio,” the government would process claims submitted by independent workers and home health agencies in […]
Home health care is among the fastest-growing sectors in the U.S., projected to create nearly a million new jobs in the next decade. But the growth isn’t without significant challenges, the Wall Street Journal reports. The U.S. Department of Labor predicts the profession will grow by nearly 50% by 2022, the equivalent of close to […]
Despite proposed changes to face-to-face requirements early last month, some say CMS’ inaction over the past several years has disproportionately affected the home health care sector, an article in Physicians Practice suggests. CMS action in two key areas could benefit not just home health, but the industry as a whole: increasing reimbursement for home-based visits […]
With the rumored September release of Apple’s “HealthKit” service, the tech giant may soon be tapping into the $9 billion-plus mobile health care market, becoming a mainstay for big-name health providers, Reuters reports. The Cupertino-based firm unveiled the service in June, announcing that it could collect and store a user’s fitness and health information all […]
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