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| January 11, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||
This Week at CT Healthcare At Home
News Update
Source: NAHC, Jan. 5, 2024
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced on Jan. 4, 2024 that they make an additional payment for in-home administration of the following Part B preventive vaccines for certain Medicare patients:
For flu, hepatitis B, and pneumococcal shots, additional payments started on Jan. 1.
Visit In-Home Vaccine Administration: Additional Payment to learn more, including:
Visit Medicare COVID-19 Vaccine Shot Payment for more information, including the CY 2024 payment amount.
Source: NAHC, Jan. 3, 2024
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently posted the draft OASIS-E1 All Items instrument, scheduled for an effective date of Jan. 1, 2025. The accompanying OASIS-E1 Manual will be released at a later date. An Office of Management and Budget (OMB) number and the information collection timeframe estimate are yet to be assigned.
The OASIS document needs to be updated to accommodate some changes related to policy including the end of the temporary suspension of OASIS for non-Medicare/non-Medicaid home health patients and the removal and addition of OASIS items related to measures for the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HHQRP), payment calculation, and/or Medicare conditions of participation.
Source: NHPCO
In the calendar year (CY) 2024 home health final rule, CMS indicated that the total number of hospices selected for the Special Focus Program (SFP) would be determined in the first quarter of each calendar year. However, on a November Hospice Forum Call, CMS indicated that while the effective date of the SFP is Jan. 1, 2024, selection of hospices for the SFP is not expected to likely begin until late 2024. NHPCO reached out to CMS in response to clarify this timing. CMS has confirmed with NHPCO that the agency plans to begin selection of the first SFP participants in November 2024. To run the algorithm for this selection, CMS will use November 2024 Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) refresh data, and survey data from May 1, 2021 through April 30, 2024.
Source: NPR, Jan. 3, 2024
After attending a free Medicare informational seminar in 2016, Richard Timmins, now 76 years old, only saw advantages to signing up. "I listened to the insurance agent, and basically, he really promoted Medicare Advantage," Timmins says. But how long did the economic advantages last?
Source: McKnights Home Care, Jan. 4, 2024
With the vast majority of home- and community-based services providers suffering from a lack of direct support workers, patients in need of home care have fewer programming options.
Among 581 HCBS providers across 45 states, as many as 95% have experienced moderate to severe staffing shortages throughout 2022 and 2023, according to the American Network of Community Options and Resources’ (ANCOR) most recent State of America’s Direct Support Workforce Crisis survey. And as a result, 77% have had to turn away patients due to a lack of available workforce, and more than half said they have had to discontinue programs because of their staffing situations.
Source: NAHC, Jan. 5, 2024
April 16-17, 2024, Washington, D.C. Take Advocacy Action Now!
Each year, our most engaged members and industry friends touch down in our nation’s capital to advocate with lawmakers for support of the care-in-the-home community. The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) tracks critical legislative, regulatory, and policy issues that affect our members to ensure you’re on top of what’s ahead. Your concerns are our priority! Membership News
 The 2024 Leadership Summit for Home Health and Hospice is just weeks away. Both the conference and the evening’s intriguing mystery dinner are being held at the exquisitely appointed Colonnade Hotel in Boston. Register today and secure your spot at the early-bird rate.
What’s in store for this year’s event?
Education
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2024 Northeast Home Health Leadership Summit
