As Hospitals Lose $50B Per Month, Home Health Providers Consider New Acquisition Opportunities

Across the U.S., hospital systems are bleeding money. The coronavirus is largely to blame, with most of the country suspending elective procedures and non-essential hospital services for the majority of spring. The American Hospital Association (AHA), for example, estimates that COVID-19’s financial impact to hospitals and health systems over the four-month period from March 1 […]

[Updated] CMS Proposes $540M Home Health Payment Boost, Permanent Telehealth Changes

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to make telehealth flexibilities for home health providers introduced in light of the coronavirus permanent. Yet providers would still be forced to provide the virtual care without payment. CMS detailed that proposal and others Thursday afternoon, along with its annual suggested update to the Medicare […]

LHC Group Increases Florida Footprint with New JV Partnership

No stranger to joint venture agreements, LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq: LHCG) has entered into a new deal with Orlando Health. The JV agreement will focus on strengthening Orlando Health’s home health capabilities, along with its home- and community-based services, in the state of Florida. Announced on Wednesday, LHC Group’s newest JV agreement marks its third […]

SNF-to-Home Diversion Opportunities Skyrocket for Home Health Providers

The nursing home industry has taken the brunt of the nation’s coronavirus blow, with more than 40% of all U.S. COVID-19 deaths involving skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Those staggering statistics have prompted fewer seniors to receive care in the setting, both for voluntary reasons and because many SNFs stopped accepting new patients and started discharging […]

Amedisys Weary of Current Medicare Advantage Opportunities, Bullish on SNF-to-Home Diversion

Just as the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) was slowly becoming the new normal, home health providers were hit with the impact of the COVID-19 emergency. Amedisys Inc. (Nasdaq: AMED) has weathered both storms. Now, it has its sights set on gaining market share from skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and pursuing Medicare Advantage opportunities — but […]

Home Care Agencies Starting to ‘Wake Up’ to Infection Control

Home health agencies have always had to prioritize infection control as part of Medicare’s Conditions of Participation (CoPs). But that hasn’t always been the case for non-medical home care providers. That quickly changed after the coronavirus began spreading across the country in March and April. Now, infection control is likely something non-medical home care providers […]

‘Nothing Is Recession-Proof’: What an Economic Downturn Means for Home-Based Care Providers

While the U.S. economy has sunk into its first official recession since 2008, home-based care experts are largely confident in the industry’s ability to withstand emerging economic hardships. In fact, “recession-proof” is the term many often use. Soaring demand, an evolving payment landscape and shifting consumer demographics may protect home-based care providers from too much […]

House Bill Seeks to Modify Medicare’s Face-to-Face Requirement for Home Health Providers

A recently introduced federal bill aims to dramatically reduce red tape for Medicare-certified home health providers — at least for now. In May, Rep. Nydia M. Velázquez — a Democrat from New York — introduced a bill that would allow home health providers to be reimbursed for services without adhering to the in-person face-to-face Medicare […]