Posted on: November 2, 2020
Posted on: October 30, 2020
CMS released the 2021 home health final rule on Thursday, October 29, 2020. HealthPRO Heritage at Home sorted through the mixed bag and found more treats than tricks!
There were minimal changes compared to the home health proposed rule that was released in July 2020. Probably the best news in the rule was the 1.9% aggregate increase (or $390 million) in reimbursement that agencies will realize in 2021. Although the increase was less than the original 2.6% increase that was in the proposed rule.
Other highlights from the final rule are as follows:
Read MorePosted on: October 19, 2020
Happy Physical Therapy Month!
The profession of physical therapy is 99 years old this year (2020)! To celebrate, HealthPRO Heritage would like to recognize and applaud all of our dedicated, hard-working Physical Therapy Practitioners. We are grateful for each and every one of you, and we are thankful to have you as vital parts of our team. Thank you for your continued dedication to the residents/patients/clients you serve!
Posted on: October 12, 2020
From CMS' press release on October 8, 2020 there are amended terms for repayment on Accelerated and Advance Payment (AAP) Program. This allows CMS to make advance payments to providers and are typically used in emergencies.
Read MorePosted on: October 12, 2020
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have made recommendations to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services about who should get priority for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines when they become available. (NASEM’s recommendations are usually followed.) You can buy a copy of this detailed document for $70 at the link below. These are the proposed phases of rollout as recommended by NASEM:
Read MorePosted on: October 9, 2020
| HHS announced $20 billion in new funding for providers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. This Phase 3 distribution was made possible through the bipartisan CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act (which allocated $175 billion in relief funds to hospitals, skilled nursing, home health and other healthcare providers.) Skilled nursing & home health providers and others who have received Provider Relief Fund payments (and some who were previously ineligible providers) are invited to apply for additional funding to cover operating expenses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. |
Posted on: October 9, 2020
On CMS' Technical Page, the agency announced via this post that an error was made in the PDPM Grouper! Six ICD-10 codes (T8484XA, T8389XA, T8321XA, T82399A, T82392A, and T83021A) were excluded. These codes are significant, because they contribute points toward the NTA case mix group when coded on the PPS MDS assessment.
Read MorePosted on: September 24, 2020
CMS began enforcement of Review Choice Demonstrations (RCD) on August 3, 2020. Home health providers in North Carolina and Florida were able to select their initial choice between August 3, 2020 and August 17, 2020. Home health in all demonstration states (Illinois, Ohio, Texas, North Carolina, and Florida) with billing periods beginning on or after August 31, 2020 will be subject to review under the choice selected.
Read MorePosted on: September 15, 2020
While the medical industry learns to operate during COVID-19, HealthPRO Heritage at Home believes there has never been greater demand for home-based care options or recognition of the power and benefits of care delivered in the home, whether in person or through telemedicine.
The nationwide outbreak of COVID-19 has had a major impact on our healthcare system, and home health agencies across the country have been working hard to continue providing quality health care and services to their patients. Alongside the cost pressure of the 2020 Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) pressures, Medicare (CMS) continues to grow, with around 10,000 new individuals added to their roster every day.
Read MorePosted on: September 15, 2020
HealthPRO Heritage is eager to share meaningful, optimistic outcomes amidst a critical time.
As we approach the 1-year anniversary of the PDPM implementation, many continue to struggle with COVID-19 related challenges. Despite the circumstances, HealthPRO Heritage is proud to report outcomes that reliably demonstrate What’s Possible: Impressive upward trends in clinical efficacy and business partnership outcomes.
See What’s Possible. Review FIVE key cross-sectional outcome measures that are truly unique only to HealthPRO Heritage.
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