On Tuesday, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) officials vehemently backed the thought process behind the “80-20” wage mandate in home- and community-based services (HCBS). Providers and advocates, on the other hand, continued to argue that the policy could be disastrous. During a press call Tuesday, CMS stuck with the theme that, in general, […]
CMS
The White House on Monday announced that the nursing home minimum-staffing rule has been finalized. Effectively, the rule requires all nursing homes that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding to maintain a certain staffing threshold at all times. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) first proposed the minimum-staffing requirement last fall. “Medicare and […]
The “Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services” rule has been finalized. Most importantly, the bemoaned “80-20” provision has gone through as proposed, meaning providers will eventually be forced to direct 80% of reimbursement for home- and community-based services (HCBS) to caregiver wages. First proposed by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in April […]
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Innovation Center announced a new proposed model that will undoubtedly affect home health providers, and also allow them the opportunity to get more involved in value-based care initiatives. The Transforming Episode Accountability Model (TEAM), which would eventually be mandatory if finalized, would have selected acute […]
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra fielded questions in a House Ways & Means committee hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday, a few of which were pointed at concerns around potential fraud in home health. Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) grilled the secretary about an apparent lack of progress on curbing certifications […]
At some point in their lives, most Americans will need some type of in-home care support. The issue is that — due to the caregiver shortage, the rising cost of care, Medicaid qualifications and a number of other factors — many of them won’t be able to afford it. As a way around the more […]
The number of hospice providers enrolled in the Medicare program in four states has skyrocketed over the past few years. The jaw-dropping spike, in turn, has triggered increased oversight efforts – some of which may not be having the desired effect. A similar trend could be happening in home health care in one major county, […]
In July, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over home health payment cuts. On Dec. 15, the Biden administration responded by asking a federal judge to throw out that lawsuit, […]
In the first six years of the Home Health Value‐Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model demonstration, the nine participating states saved Medicare $1.38 billion, a 1.9% decline relative to the 41 non‐HHVBP states. That’s according to a new study from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that evaluated the first six years of HHVBP […]
As more high-acuity care moves into the home, providers are keeping an eye on how workers in the field are responding to new types of work. A new study found that caregiver burden is mild to moderate in both the home and acute care facility settings. The study results, according to its authors, suggest that […]