For years, many in the health care industry considered non-medical home care the black sheep of the family, if part of the bloodline at all. The important intervention proven to help keep seniors out of the hospital and cut health care costs was often written off as a luxury service — and even labeled “non-skilled,” […]
While timing tweaks haven’t received quite the attention therapy and coding changes have ahead of the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), beating the buzzer will be more important than ever for home health agencies when the new model takes effect. For example, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will pay higher reimbursement rates for […]
The looming Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), a potential hospice carve-in under Medicare Advantage (MA) and the expanding Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) are just a few of the developments reshaping the current landscape of home health and hospice. As if those three items aren’t enough, providers are also facing the continuing Value-Based Purchasing Model (VBPM), emerging […]
Home health operators and industry advocates are voicing their concerns following a proposal from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to eliminate home health pre-payments and move forward with behavioral assumptions under the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). Specifically, many worry the proposed changes will create cash flow problems for home health agencies, which […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is moving forward with many of the provisions originally included in the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) while also proposing to implement a new home infusion benefit, eliminate home health pre-payments and make Value-Based Purchasing Model (VBPM) performance data public. CMS detailed its plan for PDGM and other […]
For many Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs), having a strong presence in the home has been a vital strategy for improving care management and identifying patient needs. Even so, many ACOs carry out that strategy with in-home visits from primary care practitioners — and not necessarily dedicated home health providers. That may change in years to […]
From the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) to the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and the Partnership for Quality Home Healthcare (PQHH), there is no shortage of trade groups in the home care industry. That’s not even to mention the vast network of state and local associations spanning the U.S. But […]
As the pages on the calendar continue to turn toward January 2020, the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) remains a top priority for home health agencies big and small. But while the payment overhaul does mark the beginning of a new era in the industry, it can’t be providers’ sole focus. “It shouldn’t be: ‘PDGM is […]
So far, virtual reality company Rendever has largely used its technology to reduce the social isolation of older adults living in senior living communities throughout the U.S. Teaming up with in-home care providers, however, may be the key to the company’s future, according to co-founder and CEO Kyle Rand. Overall, Rendever works with more than […]
Thrive is an HHCN series that explores the successes, struggles and strategies of home care owners and operators on the local level. The number of American seniors with Alzheimer’s disease is on the rise, with about 5.5 million people over 65 affected. By 2025, that number could reach 7.1 million, up nearly 29%, according to […]