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All posts tagged with “Regulatory News | Medicaid.”
Providers meet with OMB to prevent ‘devastating’ effect of 80/20 provision
03/06/24 at 03:00 AMProviders meet with OMB to prevent ‘devastating’ effect of 80/20 provision McKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 3/4/24Home care stakeholders have been busy on Capitol Hill voicing concerns about a controversial provision of the proposed Medicaid Access Rule. The National Association for Home Care & Hospice and Home Care Association of America met with the Office of Management and Budget last week to discuss the Access Rule’s so-called 80/20 provision. The provision, if finalized, would require that 80% of Medicaid payments for personal care, home health and homemaker services be spent on workers’ compensation. “If that one provision is finalized as proposed, it would be so detrimental that we’d likely lose a significant portion of our service delivery base and people would go without care,” Damon Terzaghi, NAHC’s director of Medicaid HCBS (home- and community-based services) said in an interview with McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. “It would truly be devastating.”
False Claims Act - 2023 Year in Review
03/01/24 at 03:00 AMFalse Claims Act - 2023 Year in ReviewJD Supra; by William Athanas, A. Lee Bentley III, Gene Besen, Ryan Dean, Jonathan Ferry, Daniel Fortune, Giovanni Giarratana, Ty Howard, Elisha Kobre, Anna Lashley, Gregory Marshall, Lyndsay Medlin, Stephen Moulton, Ocasha Musah, Scarlett Singleton Nokes, Cara Rice, Brad Robertson, Tara Sarosiek, Jack Selden, Erin Sullivan, Courtlyn Ward, Virginia Wright; 2/28/24As we do every year, this issue revisits the key cases and other developments from the year gone by. And by most metrics, 2023 was a notable year for the False Claims Act (FCA).
[Updated] CMS crackdown on fraudulent hospice providers in full effect in 2024, expert says
02/27/24 at 02:00 AM[Updated] CMS crackdown on fraudulent hospice providers in full effect in 2024, expert says McKnights Product Theater, by Adam Healy; 2/22/24In recent years, unscrupulous hospice providers have cropped up in California and other states. In response, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has prepared a slew of tools to curtail the fraud. States continue to feel the effects. As an example, a California hospice operator last week was convicted in a Medicare fraud scheme for billing nearly $3 million for services that patients did not need, according to the Department of Justice.
Planning Ahead: Medicare, Medicaid or Hospice for at-home care
02/23/24 at 03:00 AMPlanning Ahead: Medicare, Medicaid or Hospice for at-home careThe Mercury, by Janet Colliton; 2/21/24If you are seeking at-home care assistance for a family member that is paid either in full or in part by the government, you can find that the system is complicated and, unless your loved one fits within one of the designated categories, you may be limited to paying from your family member’s asset or your own. Here are some of the differences and criteria.Editor's Note: This concise, user-friendly article by a Certified Elder Law Attorney provides simple descriptions of this all-important information. What Hospice Medicare information does your staff need to know and use? What clarity do you provide to the public / community you serve?
How one hospice owner got convicted of healthcare fraud and how you can avoid that fate
02/23/24 at 02:00 AMHow one hospice owner got convicted of healthcare fraud and how you can avoid that fateHospice Insights: The Law and Beyond, by Husch Blackwell; 2/21/24The owner of a Louisiana hospice was indicted and then convicted of healthcare fraud. How did that happen? In this [podcast] episode, Husch Blackwell's Meg Pekarske and Jonathan Porter talk about how a routine audit led to a whistleblower complaint by a hospice employee, which then led to the hospice owner’s criminal conviction following trial in November 2023. Most importantly, the pair discuss how other hospices can avoid that fate.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services corrects rule involving 2024 home health prospective payment system rate update
02/22/24 at 03:00 AMCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services corrects rule involving 2024 home health prospective payment system rate updateCMS Federal Register; 2/21/24This document corrects technical errors in the final rule that appeared in the November 13, 2023 Federal Register titled “Medicare Program; Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Home Health (HH) Prospective Payment System Rate Update; HH Quality Reporting Program Requirements; HH Value-Based Purchasing Expanded Model Requirements; Home Intravenous Immune Globulin Items and Services; Hospice Informal Dispute Resolution and Special Focus Program Requirements, Certain Requirements for Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetics and Orthotics Supplies; and Provider and Supplier Enrollment Requirements” (referred to hereafter as the “CY 2024 HH PPS final rule”).
Reduced federal share may force state Medicaid programs to cut services, HCBS expert says
02/21/24 at 03:00 AMReduced federal share may force state Medicaid programs to cut services, HCBS expert saysMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 2/15/24The Congressional Budget Office this month released its “Budget and Economic Outlook” report for the coming decade. In its report, CBO predicted a roughly $58 billion drop in federal Medicaid outlays for 2024 compared to 2023 — a 9% decrease in federal Medicaid spending, due in part to fewer beneficiaries on states’ Medicaid rolls.
Reduced federal share may force state Medicaid programs to cut services, HCBS expert says
02/20/24 at 02:00 AMReduced federal share may force state Medicaid programs to cut services, HCBS expert saysMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 2/15/24The Congressional Budget Office this month released its “Budget and Economic Outlook” report for the coming decade. In its report, CBO predicted a roughly $58 billion drop in federal Medicaid outlays for 2024 compared to 2023 — a 9% decrease in federal Medicaid spending, due in part to fewer beneficiaries on states’ Medicaid rolls. Reduced Medicaid outlays ... has placed an even greater strain on states to pay for these Medicaid programs, according to Damon Terzaghi, director of Medicaid HCBS for the National Association for Home Care & Hospice.
NC Medicaid rolls grow by 1,000 people a day as smooth expansion rollout continues its third month
02/19/24 at 03:00 AMNC Medicaid rolls grow by 1,000 people a day as smooth expansion rollout continues its third monthNC Health News, by Jamie Baxley; 2/15/24When North Carolina launched Medicaid expansion on Dec. 1, state officials said the measure would provide health insurance to an estimated 600,000 low-income adults over a span of two years. It took just two months to reach 58 percent of that goal. More than 346,400 newly eligible beneficiaries have been approved for coverage as of Feb. 1, according to data from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.
Medicare threatens to pull funding from HCA’s embattled Mission Hospital
02/09/24 at 04:00 AMMedicare threatens to pull funding from HCA’s embattled Mission HospitalSTAT, by Tara Bannow; 2/6/24Five years after investor-owned HCA Healthcare took over an esteemed nonprofit hospital in North Carolina, Medicare is threatening to cut off payment for any services it provides seniors. The rare and dramatic move follows a Medicare revelation that patient safety is in “immediate jeopardy” at Mission Hospital in Asheville. That designation is the most severe the agency can hand out. HCA has just a few weeks to fix the problems or lose its Medicare funding.
Part 2, Latest updates from CMS Office of Minority Health: Advancing health equity in rural, tribal, and geographically isolated communities FY2023 year in review
02/09/24 at 03:00 AMPart 2, Latest updates from CMS Office of Minority Health: Advancing health equity in rural, tribal, and geographically isolated communities FY2023 year in review
Palliative care reimbursement, innovation and reform
02/09/24 at 03:00 AMPalliative care reimbursement, innovation and reformJD Supra - American Health Law Association, by Edo Banach; 2/7/24Sections include:
Concurrent Medicare hospice & curative care improves quality & reduces costs 13%
02/09/24 at 03:00 AMConcurrent Medicare hospice & curative care improves quality & reduces costs 13%Open Minds; 2/7/24Medicare beneficiaries with terminal health conditions who participated in the Medicare Care Choices Model (MCCM), received high quality care at a 13% lower cost compared to similar beneficiaries who did not receive the MCCM services. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) tested this new model as an option for Medicare beneficiaries to receive supportive care services while continuing to receive services for their terminal condition.
Part 1, Latest updates from CMS Office of Minority Health: Rural-urban disparities in health care in Medicare
02/09/24 at 02:00 AMEnhancing rural and geographic health equity: Latest updates from CMS OMHCMS Office of Minority Health (CMS OMH); released 2/7/24
Patient-centered focus is key to reducing hospitalizations, value-based success, experts say
02/07/24 at 04:00 AMPatient-centered focus is key to reducing hospitalizations, value-based success, experts sayMcKnights Home Care, by Adam Healy; 2/6/24To keep hospitalization rates low — and thereby produce better results within the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) model — providers need a good understanding of patients’ goals to tailor care to meet their unique wants and needs. ... Keeping these goals at the forefront of care can reduce their chances of being hospitalized, according to Cindy Campbell, senior director of advisory services at healthcare technology firm WellSky. But defining patients’ goals is not just a recommendation, she noted: It’s mandated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
'A monumental shift': Home health providers believe review choice demonstration is here to stay
02/05/24 at 04:00 AMReview choice demonstration is here to stayHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 2/1/24The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has been tight-lipped about its Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) plans beyond May 2024. However, industry leaders believe RCD will be extended across the country on a more permanent basis — a development that agency leaders should recognize as a momentum shifting change. “We’re seeing a monumental shift in home health care and how we actually operate,” Kim Gaffey, founder and CEO of Gaffey Home Nursing and Hospice, said during a webinar Thursday.
Cancer facts & figures 2024
02/05/24 at 04:00 AMCancer facts & figures 2024American Cancer Society; 2024Cancer Facts & Figures 2024 is an educational companion for Cancer Statistics 2024, a scientific paper published in the American Cancer Society journal, CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. These annual reports provide:
Lee County belt tightening means a reduction in hospice care
02/05/24 at 04:00 AMLee County belt tightening means a reduction in hospice careWIUM Trstates Public Radio, by Will Buss; 2/1/24Lee County Supervisors are looking for ways to reduce spending. As a result, the health department is scaling back the level of hospice care it provides terminally ill residents. Administrator Michele Ross said the department has pushed to retain hospice service but will refer more residents to private providers.
Facing the future: Home health providers gear up for 2024’s value-based care, M&A landscapes
02/05/24 at 03:30 AMFacing the future: Home health providers gear up for 2024’s value-based care, M&A landscapesHome Health Care, by Andrew Donlan; 2/1/24Home-based care providers have faced many headwinds over the past few years. They’ll continue to do so in 2024. But uncertainty has also plagued providers, and there may be less of that this year. Providers know the threat of fee-for-service Medicare cuts. They know Medicare Advantage (MA) penetration is an unstoppable force. They know staffing woes will be a mainstay, even if the labor market nominally improves.
What home health providers need to know about CMS’ Medicare enrollment changes
02/05/24 at 03:00 AMWhat home health providers need to know about CMS’ Medicare enrollment changesHome Health Care News, by Patrick Filbin; 1/31/24The Medicare enrollment process undergoes annual changes at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to ensure it remains up to date with evolving regulations, policies and health care practices. A number of changes went into effect on Jan. 1, and several of them will affect home health agencies. Here’s what home health agencies should know about those changes.
Hospice and home health survey perspectives: A conversation with Kim Skehan, VP of Accreditation at CHAP
02/02/24 at 03:35 AMHospice and home health survey perspectives: A conversation with Kim Skehan, VP of Accreditation at CHAPHospice Insights: The Law and Beyond, podcast by Meg Pekarske; 1/31/24In this episode, Husch Blackwell’s Meg Pekarske is joined by friend and industry veteran Kim Skehan. In this wide-ranging conversation, they explore not only the recent survey reforms but the ways in which Kim’s decades of work as a survey consultant to hospices and home health agencies shape how she approaches her new role leading accreditation at CHAP.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issues rule: Medicare Program; Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Home Health (HH) Prospective Payment System rate update; HH Quality Reporting Program requirements; HH ...
02/01/24 at 04:00 AMCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services issues rule: Medicare Program; Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Home Health (HH) Prospective Payment System rate update; HH Quality Reporting Program requirements; HH ...Department of Health and Human Services, by Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; 1/31/24SUMMARY: This document corrects technical errors in the final rule that appeared in the November 13, 2023 Federal Register titled "Medicare Program; Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Home Health (HH) Prospective Payment System Rate Update; HH Quality Reporting Program Requirements; HH Value-Based Purchasing Expanded Model Requirements; Home Intravenous Immune Globulin Items and Services; Hospice Informal Dispute Resolution and Special Focus Program Requirements, Certain Requirements for Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetics and Orthotics Supplies; and Provider and Supplier Enrollment Requirements'' (referred to hereafter as the "CY 2024 HH PPS final rule"). Effective date: This correcting document is effective January 31, 2024
Docs see smaller checks as Congress weighs options on Medicare cut
02/01/24 at 04:00 AMDocs see smaller checks as Congress weighs options on Medicare cutModern Healthcare, by Michael Mcauliff; 1/30/24If anyone were to ask members of Congress if doctors should be contending with Medicare pay cuts after a pandemic and a period of extraordinary inflation, and amid a chronic physician shortage, nearly all would say no.Subscription required for full access
Video raises concerns about a father’s final days in senior care home
02/01/24 at 03:55 AMVideo raises concerns about a father’s final days in senior care homeThe Atlanta-Journal Constitution Online, by Allie Gross; 1/30/24A 78-year-old veteran's final days at a Georgia senior care home, Savannah Court of Lake Oconee, raise troubling questions about care at the facility and the state's oversight. The new concerns come as the facility faces possible closure with a second license revocation hearing scheduled for Jan. 30, 2024.
Hospice fraud back in the spotlight, with new data also raising questions about home health care
02/01/24 at 03:00 AMHospice fraud back in the spotlight, with new data also raising questions about home health careHome Health Care News, by Robert Holly; 1/30/24The number of hospice providers enrolled in the Medicare program in four states has skyrocketed over the past few years. The jaw-dropping spike, in turn, has triggered increased oversight efforts – some of which may not be having the desired effect. A similar trend could be happening in home health care in one major county, U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) data suggests. In hospice, the surge of new providers and potentially fraudulent activities has been concentrated in Arizona, California, Nevada and Texas. In home health care, it’s Los Angeles County.