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| October 3, 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 This Week at CT Healthcare At Home
News Update
As part of Senate Bill 1/Public Act 24-19, the Public Health Committee is tasked with establishing a Pediatric Hospice Work Group to “examine hospice services for pediatric patients across the state. Several of our Association members have been named to this work group:
The inaugural meeting of this important work group was held Wednesday, September 25th, and the agenda included introductions, approval of Co-Chairs (Dr. Kerry Moss and ToniAnn Marchione), and review of the charge of the work group to examine the state of pediatric hospice across the state. Thank you to all who are participating, especially the co-chairs! Source: The Alliance, October 1, 2024
After receiving clarification from CMS, we are updating the NAHC Report article published on September 24, 2024 with this one dated October 1, 2024.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated the Hospice Certifying Enrollment Questions and Answers (Q & A) Document and Change Request (CR) 13531, both dealing with the hospice certifying physician enrollment requirement. This requirement, established via the FY2024 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update final rule, conditions Medicare payment of hospice claims on the enrollment status of the certifying physician. Specifically, a certifying physician must be enrolled in or validly opted out of Medicare at the time the certification or recertification is made. (See end notes for previous NAHC Report coverage.) Source: The Alliance, October 1, 2024
On May 5, 2024, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued in the Federal Register a final rule implementing Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability in certain health programs and activities (see previous NAHC Report).
In addition to a general prohibition on discrimination, on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, and disability, there are several procedural requirements that covered entities must implement. The effective date related to the general prohibition on discrimination is 60 days after publication in the Federal Register, which was July 5, 2024. However, in light of the comments received, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) has determined that it is reasonable to allow additional time for covered entities to comply with the following requirements.
Source: CBS Evening News, September 30, 2024
Former president Jimmy Carter, who has been in home hospice care for the past 19 months, celebrated his 100th birthday on Tuesday. In light of that milestone, CBS News spoke to Barbara Pearce, CEO of Connecticut Hospice, who noted, "We are all rooting for Jimmy Carter. He has done more for us than we could ever do for ourselves by pointing out that it's a reasonable choice to make. He's given everybody permission to consider that as a reasonable option that doesn't shorten their life, but does increase their comfort and fulfillment."
Source: The Alliance
On Wednesday, September 25, 2024, Representative Earl Blumenauer (OR-3) introduced the Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement Act (Hospice CARE Act). In addition, Rep. Blumenauer published an overview and section-by-section summary. The Hospice CARE Act focuses on hospice sweeping payment reform and broad program integrity measures. The bill includes some themes similar to the Alliance’s 34 program integrity recommendations, as well as initiatives we oppose.
The National Alliance for Care at Home shares Rep. Blumenauer’s desire to update the Medicare hospice benefit to address the evolving needs of our country’s aging population while ensuring the sustainability and integrity of the hospice program. As a long-standing champion of hospice care, Rep. Blumenauer has consistently demonstrated a commitment to ensuring that hospice services remain accessible, compassionate, and of the highest quality for patients and their families. The Alliance appreciates Rep. Blumenauer’s commitment to involving a diverse group of stakeholders in developing this legislation and will continue to work closely with congressional leaders on the finer points of the proposed bill to ensure that the final legislation supports the needs of patients, families, and providers alike.
GO HERE to read the full statement from the Alliance.
Source: The Alliance, September 27, 2024
On August 30, 2024, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a proposed rule seeking to mitigate the risks of heat exposure in workplaces by requiring employers to implement specific preventive measures, “Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Settings”.
While the Alliance applauds OSHA in its efforts to protect workers from heat-related illnesses, we feel the rule includes several requirements that may negatively impact compliance measures in home-based care. The following is a summary of key elements and potential impacts on home care, home health, and hospice providers.
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