The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed home health payment rule for 2021 last Thursday — the first time in a number of years the agency has done so in June. With relatively minimal changes, CMS’s proposal grants the home health industry a level of much-needed stability during a chaotic […]
Category: Home Health Care
Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) is rolling out a new remote monitoring feature designed to help doctors care for the aging population. The capability allows the Apple watch and iPhone to track mobility metrics such as low-range cardio, walking speed, six-minute walk distance and step length, among other metrics. The new features — designed to give doctors […]
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 […]
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 […]
The deadline to get a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan is just a few days away, with $130 billion still available to small businesses ahead of the June 30 final deadline. But even with the cutoff around the corner, the Small Business Administration (SBA) continues to issue new guidance on the ever-evolving program. To date, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]