Demand for home-based care services remains steady – but little else in the industry does. With rapidly advancing technology, looming threats such as the proposed home health rate cut and regulatory shifts like the companionship exemption, providers today are navigating an unprecedented mix of challenges and opportunities. Amid significant disruption, providers are finding ways to […]
A national network of home-based care providers has built a business affiliate program designed to bolster its advocacy efforts. Hearts for Home Care’s (H4HC) members engage in public advocacy and education as well as lobbying state governments and federal lawmakers. The organization’s new business affiliates will add their voices to those efforts. The inaugural class […]
A home care provider’s pay practices could mean the difference between a company with a pristine reputation and one facing crushing lawsuits, penalties and more. That’s why it’s crucial for home care leaders to understand overtime calculation, on-call rules and travel time, according to a webinar hosted by law firm Polsinelli on Tuesday. One of […]
Major health insurers have increasingly integrated care provider entities into their portfolios, including home-based care offerings – and are using their provider arms to inflate care prices and evade federal regulations. Payviders, which include the likes of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), Elevance Health (NYSE: ELV) and CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), often utilize a loophole that […]
Home health agencies and their patients are set to wake up on Wednesday to a new world without critical telehealth flexibilities. Currently, home health agencies are permitted to use telehealth for home health face-to-face encounters, a flexibility that a series of short-term extensions have perpetuated. With a government shutdown looming, this ability could lapse unless […]
Recent changes to labor laws are transforming the home-based care landscape, requiring leaders to stay vigilant in order to sustain and grow their businesses. From changing independent contractor classifications to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforcement, legal experts caution that changing regulations can create costly pitfalls for at-home care providers. In recent years, home […]
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is working to shift toward case-by-case enforcement of noncompete agreements after a nationwide ban was struck down in court. The FTC issued a request for information on Thursday, seeking comments to better understand “the scope, prevalence and effects” of employer noncompete agreements. Members of the public, including current and former […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) confirmed that completing the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) data collection is not required for outpatient therapy services, and it will retract the previously published guidance, according to the National Alliance for Care at Home (The Alliance). CMS issued guidance in its Quarterly OASIS Q&A document […]
While some consider the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposal to reinstate the companionship exemption a “win” for the home care industry; others have opposed it. Now, LeadingAge is joining the voices of those in opposition to the proposal. “We understand that many in the industry support this proposal especially when it comes to overtime […]
At the start of every year, Home Health Care News predicts the trends that will shape the home-based care industry in the year to come. Some of the trends we’ve predicted have progressed even further than HHCN suggested in January. Some are still on track. Others face new challenges that could slow their adoption. While […]
