Thanks to leadership changes at the federal level, the evolution of Medicare Advantage (MA) and a seemingly constant flow of new value-based payment models, providers should begin to plan for the end of fee-for-service Medicare. That’s according to LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq: LHCG) Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Bruce Greenstein, who discussed the future of […]
Birmingham, Alabama-based Encompass Health Corporation (NYSE: EHC) — already one of the largest home health providers in the country — is likely on its way to even more growth this year, thanks partly to the expected M&A opportunities linked to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). Internally, coding changes and investments in predictive analytics have helped […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced Thursday that users of Home Health Compare — its consumer-facing database of home health provider quality information — can expect to see a major revamp. CMS plans to roll Home Health Compare and seven other Compare sites into one tool called “Medicare Care Compare” sometime this […]
President Donald Trump has opened the door to possible Medicare cuts, an alarming scenario for U.S. home health providers already facing a major reimbursement overhaul and increased compliance pressure from federal watchdogs. Speaking during an interview with CNBC while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Trump suggested that he would consider cuts to […]
HCAOA elects new board president The Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) has elected Emma Dickison as the new president of its board of directors. Washington, D.C.-based HCAOA represents nearly 3,000 companies that employ more than 500,000 caregivers. Dickison brings her background as CEO of Home Helpers Home Care — a company she’s been with […]
Over the past few years, non-medical home care has become a pillar service within the broader health care continuum for its ability to improve outcomes and increase patient satisfaction. Due to that success, some believe home care should be covered under Medicare, just like home health or hospice care. Dr. Laurie Archbald, an associate professor […]
The 2019 fiscal year concluded with the Department of Justice (DOJ) bringing in $2.6 billion in recoveries involving health care fraud and false claims. Home health-related fraud was a large part of these efforts. This marks the 10th consecutive year that the department’s civil health care fraud settlements and judgments have exceeded $2 billion. The […]
Immediately following the Oct. 1 rollout of the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM), news broke about widespread therapy staff layoffs throughout the skilled nursing industry. The layoffs have continued — at a staggering pace — in the months since. While PDPM is inherently different than the home health industry’s upcoming Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), the reimbursement […]
Despite the hospital-at-home model existing for over 20 years, its popularity in the U.S. has been slow to gain significant traction. But the model made huge strides in 2019, with the implementation of a number of programs across the country. Generally, hospital-at-home programs attempt to provide acute, hospital-level care in the home as an alternative […]
Despite reimbursement pressure tied to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), the overall home health care outlook remains relatively rosy for 2020, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) believes. But that rosy outlook may signal a payment cut come 2021. MedPAC officials discussed the U.S. post-acute care sector’s outlook earlier this month during one of its […]