Coronavirus Pouring Gasoline on Interoperability Fire for Home Health Providers

Historically, home health providers and their partners throughout the continuum of care have struggled with interoperability. But during the COVID-19 public health emergency, it’s more crucial than ever to have timely and accurate information, industry insiders say. Broadly, interoperability is the capability of different information systems to connect across organizations in order to exchange individual […]

Coronavirus Consequence: Home Health Agencies See Spike in LUPAs

Coming into 2020, home health care providers were preparing for drastic changes to the way that low-utilization payment adjustments (LUPAs) were calculated, a nuance of the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), which took effect Jan. 1. However, what no one predicted is how the coronavirus would even further rock the LUPA landscape. Amid the COVID-19 emergency, […]

CommonSpirit Health at Home Beefs Up Telehealth Offerings Amid COVID-19

Throughout the COVID-19 public health emergency, telehealth has emerged as a key solution for home health providers looking to curb the spread of the coronavirus and preserve personal protective equipment (PPE) amid a national shortage. CommonSpirit Health at Home — already no stranger to telehealth tools — recently announced that it has expanded its virtual […]

Senior Living Facilities Enlist Home-Based Care Providers Amid COVID-19 Staffing Battle

Many senior living and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) continue to struggle with the COVID-19 virus, as their residents are often vulnerable older adults who live in fairly close proximity. In some cases, coronavirus concerns have prompted such congregate living facilities to turn away outside caregivers and home health aides; in others, the struggle has led […]

Encompass Health CFO: PDGM Has Been ‘Greatly Exacerbated’ by COVID-19

Like most in the health care sector, Encompass Health Corporation (NYSE: EHC) took a hit to its business in March as the COVID-19 outbreak intensified. Usually bullish on its near-term home health and hospice projections, the Birmingham, Alabama-based company is now more focused on getting back to a sense of normalcy. Encompass Health leadership detailed […]

Humana’s Kindred at Home Sees Slight Downturn Due to Coronavirus

Doubling down on its efforts around social determinants of health and expanding access to telehealth services are just some of the ways Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) has attempted to address the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency. The company has also contributed roughly $50 million to national relief initiatives via the Humana Foundation. “We are committed […]

CMS Decision to Cease Advance Payments May Prove Shortsighted

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced plans to suspend its advance payment program and reevaluate its accelerated payment program. It’s a decision that some home health industry insiders feel is too premature. CMS typically offers expedited Medicare payments to help providers during times of natural disasters. The agency initially expanded […]