Source: The Alliance, November 18, 2024

On Friday, November 15, a federal judge in Texas vacated and set aside the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Final Rule on overtime exemptions, nullifying both current and future salary threshold increases under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). The rule, officially titled “Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales, and Computer Employees,” had initially gone into effect nationwide on July 1, 2024, but was previously stayed in Texas. With this latest ruling, the entire rule has been overturned across the country.

Source: Decision Health, November 13, 2024

 

Agencies that have received a letter of non-compliance with the Home Health Quality Reporting Program requirements have until Nov. 27 to request reconsideration.

Source: Jennifer Osburn, November 12, 2024
Posted in Monday Minute with Melinda

 

The much-anticipated 2025 Home Health Final Rule was posted Friday, November 1, 2024, and includes applicable changes for implementation in calendar year (CY) 2025 and beyond. These changes include routine, annual updates to the Home Health Patient Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) rates as well as rate updates for disposable Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (dNPWT) devices and for IVIG items and services that begin January 1, 2025. In addition to payment updates, the Final Rule includes changes to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HHQRP), finalizes a new Condition of Participation standard, and summarizes CMS’ plan to integrate health equity into the Expanded Home Health Value Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model.

Source: The Alliance, November 14, 2024

Hospice Provider Preview Reports for the February 2025 Care Compare refresh are now available in the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) application. The preview period for this Provider Preview Report is from November 13, 2024, to December 13, 2024.

Source: The Alliance, November 13, 2024

 

 

Soon, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will implement the hospice Special Focus Program (SFP), which is based on flawed data that will misinform patients and families with inaccurate hospice performance rankings. The bipartisan Enhancing Hospice Oversight and Transparency Act [H.R. 10097] will delay the SFP and allow CMS time to fix the program, preventing great harm to patients and providers. Join the Alliance’s efforts by reaching out to your elected officials—it only takes two minutes of your time. Act now to protect patients from misinformation. For more information about the hospice SFP and why it needs to be fixed before it is implemented, please see the Hospice SFP Resource Page on the Alliance website. There you will find an explanation of the SFP,  its many problems, a timeline of the program, research on its flaws, and member-only resources on how to talk about the SFP to various stakeholders.

Source: McKnight's Home Care, November 18, 2024

 

Source: The Alliance, November 15, 2024

On November 13, CMS issued a memo titled “Ensuring Consistency in the Hospice Survey Process,” which reinforces hospice survey protocols to detect quality of care issues and identify potential fraud. While the primary purpose of the Medicare hospice survey is to determine compliance with the Medicare Hospice Conditions of Participation (CoPs), CMS highlights several elements of the survey process in the memo that can uncover concerns that may necessitate a referral to CMS for potential fraud.

The memo emphasizes consistent surveyor training, detailed patient and caregiver interviews, and comprehensive reviews of interdisciplinary care, including an emphasis on hospices’ ability to provide all four levels of care—aiming to ensure all hospices meet Medicare program requirements. Key takeaways include heightened scrutiny on compliance, administrative oversight, the need to maintain robust documentation, and awareness of CMS’s expanded enforcement actions, which may include civil money penalties, suspension of payment for new admissions, training, and temporary management to correct deficiencies and protect patient care quality.

 

The Northeast Home Health & Hospice Leadership Summit is just around the corner! Join us on January 21 & 22, 2025, at The Colonnade in Boston for two days of innovation, collaboration, and leadership growth. Here's what you need to know:

The full registration brochure will be live on our website starting Wednesday. Explore session topics, meet our speakers, and start planning your Summit agenda.

Want to make a big impact at the Northeast Home Health & Hospice Leadership Summit? Sponsorships are still available, offering your organization a chance to connect with industry leaders, showcase your services, and build valuable relationships.

 

Don’t miss this opportunity to stand out and support the premier event for home health and hospice professionals across the Northeast.

 

Visit https://nehomehealthsummit.com/sponsorship/ to explore sponsorship options and secure your spot today!

 

#LeadershipSummit #HomeCare #HospiceLeadership #Conference2025

Nov 18-29: Purchase a full series and get 1 Free Subscription Token. Each full series purchased = 1 Token.