The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its final home health payment rule for CY 2021 on Thursday, with essentially no changes to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) or its controversial behavioral adjustment. In addition to doubling down on PDGM, boosting the home health base payment rate by 1.9% and making minor […]
In response to ongoing opposition from both lawmakers and providers, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently announced it has made changes to its rules surrounding COVID-19 relief funding. The department’s amended rules now allow providers to use Provider Relief Fund (PRF) money toward lost revenue that’s potentially unrelated to COVID-19. “After reimbursing […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a new rule that would make certain COVID-19-related telehealth flexibilities introduced over the past few months permanent for Medicare beneficiaries. The move comes in conjunction with an executive order from President Trump to improve rural and telehealth access. While CMS’s proposed rule potentially paves the […]
Home-based care providers are at the forefront of the nation’s fight against the coronavirus; yet they still lack the full federal help they need to succeed. Meanwhile, regulatory flexibilities for hospitals and other health care providers are creating newfound competition for home health and home care agencies. “So far, it has been difficult to measure […]
For months now, home health providers have had to worry about an onslaught of new issues, from volume disruptions and personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, to cash flow problems and lack of telehealth reimbursement. One long-time stressor they haven’t had to fret about, though, is being audited by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services […]
The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has helped home-based care providers who received less than $150,000 in loans save more than 160,000 jobs nationwide, according to data from the Small Business Administration (SBA). States such as Texas, California and Florida saw the highest number of home-based care jobs retained as a result of the program. Meanwhile, […]
Home-based care providers who received loans under the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) could face unexpected expenses when it comes time to file their 2020 taxes. That is, unless the government intervenes. “Congress clearly intended that PPP funds would be nontaxable,” Leon LaBrecque — a lawyer, accountant and chief growth officer at Sequoia Financial Group — […]
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, […]
When the federal government introduced the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), officials made it clear that PPP loans were designed to help small businesses stay afloat and afford payroll amid the coronavirus. In the home-based care space, however, the problem is that many small business owners might not be equipped to deal with the intricacies and […]
The health care sector has long had the capability to use telehealth, but it took the COVID-19 emergency to prompt widespread adoption. After three months of the crisis, emerging data is now making the sweeping rate of that adoption clearer. Seniors are among the most susceptible to the COVID-19 virus. Recently unveiled data suggests that […]