For home health agencies wondering how they’ll fare under the upcoming Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), data is likely the closest thing they’ll find to a crystal ball. Data can help agencies determine where they stand under the revolutionary new reimbursement model and — in many cases — even guide them to operate more efficiently come […]
Home health providers may not be the only ones positioned for a rough January 2020. LHC Group Inc. (Nasdaq: LHCG) Chairman and CEO Keith Myers cast a small degree of doubt on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and its ability to manage the implementation of the upcoming Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). “There […]
In a scathing speech criticizing over-involvement of government in health care, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma praised Medicare Advantage (MA) as a bright spot. Specifically, she pointed to the competitive nature of the program as a driver of its success. “Don’t get me wrong: There are a lot of successes […]
Home health providers continue to see a rise in patients coming from the community instead of hospitals and other institutional settings, recently released Medicare data shows. From 2001 to 2017, the number of home health episodes not preceded by a hospitalization or other post-acute care (PAC) stay increased by nearly 124%, according to updated figures […]
When the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) developed the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), part of the goal was to fix problems that exist with the currently used Prospective Payment System (PPS). One such problem, government watchdogs say, is agencies prioritizing quantity of care over quality because it often leads to more money. Thus, […]
CVS (NYSE: CVS) has entered the in-home dialysis market. The company announced Wednesday it is beginning a clinical trial of its new home hemodialysis system this week. By enabling in-home treatment, CVS could allow patients with end-stage kidney disease to receive more frequent care, with the goal being to improve outcomes. Typically, patients with kidney […]
With Hurricane Barry making landfall in Louisiana earlier this week, severe weather season is officially upon us. While no deaths have yet been reported yet as a result of the storm as of Tuesday, natural disasters such as hurricanes, fires and tornadoes present life-threatening risks for home-based care recipients nationwide, especially those who depend on […]
While timing tweaks haven’t received quite the attention therapy and coding changes have ahead of the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), beating the buzzer will be more important than ever for home health agencies when the new model takes effect. For example, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will pay higher reimbursement rates for […]
Presidential hopeful Cory Booker, a Democratic senator from New Jersey, has announced plans to drastically increase funding for long-term care, with the goal being to give more Americans the option to age in place. Booker unveiled his plans this week during a presidential forum in Iowa hosted by the AARP and the Des Moines Register. […]
The looming Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), a potential hospice carve-in under Medicare Advantage (MA) and the expanding Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) are just a few of the developments reshaping the current landscape of home health and hospice. As if those three items aren’t enough, providers are also facing the continuing Value-Based Purchasing Model (VBPM), emerging […]