CMS Plan to Resume Elective Procedures Could End Home Health Business Lull

Some health systems will soon be able to begin performing elective procedures again, thanks to a new set of guidelines from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released Sunday. A return of elective procedures could be a boost for home health providers, who have experienced a decrease in revenue during the COVID-19 public […]

Senior Care Innovator Bill Thomas: COVID-19 Rewriting Health Care Rules, Pushing Home Care into the Spotlight

If the COVID-19 emergency has made anything clearer, it’s the need for investment in care that takes place in home- and community-based settings. While it took a global emergency to open people’s eyes to that reality, Dr. Bill Thomas has been preaching its importance for decades. Thomas is a thought leader in elder care who […]

Small Home Health Agencies Fighting to Stay Afloat Amid COVID-19 Crisis, Regulatory Uncertainty

Home health providers are currently waiting in the calm before the storm, bracing themselves for the COVID-19 surge that has already affected hospitals, skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and other settings. Unfortunately, industry experts say, they’re readying their operations without necessary support from policymakers, who have seemingly been slow to fully embrace in-home care as a […]

Industry Insiders: Too Early to Tell How Coronavirus Will Affect Admission Patterns, PDGM Reimbursement

During and after the COVID-19 public health emergency, U.S. home health providers will likely have to navigate sudden changes to both their patient volumes and admission sources. When it comes to the latter, any drastic shifts in referrals and admissions could throw a huge wrench into the planning that went into Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) […]

Brookdale Senior Living to Hire Hundreds of Home Health Workers

Brookdale Senior Living Inc. (NYSE: BKD) is planning to hire more than 4,500 health care workers for additional support in its battle against the COVID-19 emergency. The company announced its hiring plans last week. Registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), certified nurse assistants (CNAs) are among the positions the Brentwood, Tennessee-based Brookdale is trying […]

Accelerated Payments from CMS Can Help Medicare Providers Stay Afloat, But Come with Potential Dangers

Advanced payments from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) can help home health agencies navigate cash flow challenges associated with the COVID-19 virus. But providers will need to approach accelerated payments with caution, armed with accurate, objective assessments of their internal financial situations. During times of natural disasters, CMS normally offers expedited […]

CMS Emergency Payments to Home Health Providers Aren’t ‘No Strings Attached’ 

When the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administration Seema Verma first announced Medicare providers would be getting emergency assistance payments to help them maintain stability amid the coronavirus, she said the money would come with “no strings attached.” But that’s not entirely true, home health and hospice providers have learned as they receive […]