The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently released its 2026 VA fee schedule, which includes significant rate cuts for home health aide and homemaker codes in two states – and could prompt similar reductions in others. The fee schedule, which will take effect on Jan. 1, includes small fee increases in five Texas areas but […]
Category: Regulation
2025 was characterized by significant uncertainty across the home-based care landscape. Providers grappled with uncertainties surrounding the transition to a new presidential administration, potential changes to Medicare home health payment rates and the prospect of deep cuts to the federal Medicaid budget. As providers and advocacy groups worked to navigate a wave of consequential policy […]
Citing an “unprecedented” rise in the number of new license applications from home- and community-based services providers, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has announced a two-year pause to new licenses. The pause will also prevent currently licensed providers from adding new service lines and will cancel all pending applications and requests for new […]
On Wednesday, a district court finalized the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) settlement regarding UnitedHealth Group’s (NYSE: UNH) acquisition of Amedisys. The settlement, approved by the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, resolves the DOJ’s and four states’ opposition to the merger. The settlement requires the companies to divest at least 164 […]
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 […]
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