In the months and weeks leading up to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), many industry insiders predicted the downfall of small and mid-size home health providers due to the disruption of cash flow and therapy utilization, as well as the complicated new documentation and coding processes. It’s undeniable that small and mid-size agencies will feel […]
Birmingham, Alabama-based Encompass Health Corporation (NYSE: EHC) — already one of the largest home health providers in the country — is likely on its way to even more growth this year, thanks partly to the expected M&A opportunities linked to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). Internally, coding changes and investments in predictive analytics have helped […]
The Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) — another Medicare payment overhaul in the skilled nursing facility (SNF) arena — could serve as an indicator for what the coming months will look like under the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). Naturally, home health owners and operators have been paying attention. PDPM launched on Oct. 1, which has given […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Thursday that users of Home Health Compare — its consumer-facing database of home health provider quality information — can expect to see a major revamp. CMS plans to roll Home Health Compare and seven other Compare sites into one tool called “Medicare Care Compare” sometime this […]
It’s safe to say that 2019 was a banner year for Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED). The Baton Rouge, Louisiana-based company doubled down on hospice — announcing a number of deals. On the personal care side, Amedisys entered into and saw success in an innovative partnership with ClearCare Inc. Over the past few years, Amedisys has […]
In what is being called a historic step forward on the wage and labor front, the state of Illinois recently reached two contract agreements with SEIU Healthcare Illinois — covering 30,000 home care workers. “After years of instability, I’m proud these contracts deliver good wages and good benefits to the people who offer this critical […]
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI) will save far less in the coming years than the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) projected, according to an analysis conducted by Avalere. Avalere, a health care research and consulting firm, estimates that CMMI will save $18 billion from 2017 to 2026. The CBO had projected $34 billion […]
HCAOA elects new board president The Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) has elected Emma Dickison as the new president of its board of directors. Washington, D.C.-based HCAOA represents nearly 3,000 companies that employ more than 500,000 caregivers. Dickison brings her background as CEO of Home Helpers Home Care — a company she’s been with […]
The latest ACO numbers from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) are in — and home health providers should be paying attention. More than two years ago, the Trump administration made major changes to the Medicare Shared Savings Program for accountable care organizations (ACOs), arguably the biggest value-based payment program in fee-for-service Medicare. […]
We’re less than 10 days into the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), but already some industry experts are hearing about the forthcoming shutdown of home health agencies. PDGM — the biggest home health reimbursement overhaul in two decades — began on Jan.1. “Right now, it’s really early to see some of these scenarios,” Mike Dordick, president […]