CMS Releases Allocation Details, Conditions of Participation for Emergency Payments to Home Health Providers

Home health and hospice providers now have greater clarity on how much initial emergency assistance they’ll be getting from the CARES Act Provider Relief Fund, as well as when those direct deposits will hit their bank accounts. While details of the disbursements were originally scarce, it seems the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) […]

More Telehealth, Less Red Tape: What Agencies Should Know About CMS’s Home Health Changes

The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) took “unprecedented” action to reduce red tape for home health care agencies and other Medicare providers on Monday. Although the changes are, in theory, temporary, many home health stakeholders welcomed the newfound flexibility aimed at the COVID-19 pandemic. Some, however, were left scratching their heads, confused […]

[Updated] $2 Trillion Stimulus Bill Would Relax Home Health Certification Requirements, Encourage Telehealth Use

Political leaders agreed to one of the most expensive legislative packages in the history of Congress on Wednesday, finalizing the details of a roughly $2 trillion stimulus bill. While the record-breaking package has far-reaching implications for the overall economy, it also reportedly includes specific language that could trigger significant change throughout the home-based care landscape […]

As Nursing Home Closures Rise, Operators May Pivot to Home- and Community-Based Care

The number of U.S. nursing homes closing their doors is rapidly increasing, a new report from Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization LeadingAge has found. Home- and community-based service (HCBS) providers are playing an important role. Overall, more than 550 nursing homes have closed since June 2015, with more than half of the closures taking place in […]

LeadingAge Expert Robyn Stone: ‘Career Lattices,’ Healthy Relationships Key to Keeping In-Home Care Staff

Home health and personal care aides are often referred to as “the eyes and ears” of the U.S. health care system. Still, they’re infrequently used in care teams and often undervalued by the providers they work for. Changing the recognition of in-home care professionals is going to take hard work, innovative approaches and dedicated advocacy, […]

Disrupt Podcast #28: Dr. Robyn Stone, SVP of Research at LeadingAge

The 28th episode of our podcast, Disrupt, is now available! Home health and personal care aides are often referred to as “the eyes and ears” of the U.S. health care system, but they’re still infrequently used in care teams. Changing that is going to take some hard work and dedicated advocacy, according to Dr. Robyn […]

Home Health Industry Gains Ground After Final Rule — But PDGM Behavioral Adjustment Battle Isn’t Over

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2020 home health final payment rule on Oct. 31, reaffirming many aspects of next year’s payment overhaul while also updating certain quality reporting metrics and solidifying changes to policymakers’ maintenance therapy proposal. The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) and Axxess were among […]