Latest News
The most recent news, announcements, and regulatory updates for home health, hospice, and supportive care at home
Home Care Worker Safety: Aftermath of Home Health Nurse Death
by Kristin Rowan, EditorIn October of 2023, nurse Joyce Grayson went to the home (halfway house) of a released convict. She was later found dead in the basement of the house. In addition to adding focus to home care worker safety, the immediate...
HIPAA: Access to Records
By Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq. A key purpose of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is certainly to protect patient information. Another is to help ensure that patients have access to their health information. In fact, the...
Adding Insult to Injury: Change Healthcare Attacked Again
by Kristin Rowan, Editor For a few weeks now, we have been covering the Change Healthcare cyberattack by ALPHV/BlackCat and the subsequent updates from CMS. Pharmacy and medical orders have been delayed, providers and patients are suffering, and...
HOPE is on the Way: Part 1 – Outcome Measures
By Beth Noyce, RN, BSJMC, HCS-C, BCHH-C, COQS Home health & hospice consultant The Hospice Outcome Patient Evaluation is a step closer to implementation. After four years of considering options, the Technical Expert Panel (TEP) has finished its...
Is the Covid Boost for Telehealth Over?
by Tim Rowan, Editor Emeritus
Many telehealth companies are experiencing losses, some severe, since Covid case numbers started to decline. Is there not still a need for Remote Patient Monitoring in Home Healthcare? Editor Emeritus Tim Rowan explores recent financials and offers his answer to that question.
CMS Hospice Payment Rate FY 2025 Proposal
By Kristin Rowan, Editor On March 28, CMS issued a new proposed rule to update Medicare hospice payments. Here's what we know. The new proposed rule: Would change the existing hospice wage index Clarifies current policy related to the hospice...
1 Thing You Must Do At Work During National Stress Awareness Month
by Bryan Robinson, PH.D. Contributor author of Chained to the Desk in a Hybrid World: A Guide to Balance April is National Stress Awareness Month with the goal of raising awareness of the impacts of stress. According to the American Psychiatric...
SNF Abuses Could be Selling Point for In-Home Care Providers
by Tim Rowan, Editor Emeritus For as long as I can remember, Home Health and Home Care owners and advocates, including their national and state associations, have struggled to develop concrete data to prove what we all know to be true: In-home care...
Little Clinical, Cost Benefit to Diabetes Tech
From Peterson Health Technology Institute, New report finds that digital diabetes management tools fail to deliver meaningful health benefits to patients while increasing spending.
OIG Says Providers Can Offer Services to Caregivers
by Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq., Primary caregivers – often patients’ family members – are crucial players in home care. Without them, it can be impossible to provide home care services and to keep patients in their homes. If patients cannot care for...
Cost of Home Health Care Services Increased Nationwide
By Kristin Rowan, Editor Illumifin, an insurance administration and claims solution provider for long term care (LTC) insurance, has released its 2023 Cost of Care study. The longitudinal study is now in its tenth year and includes national, state,...
MedPAC Recommends More Pay Cuts
By Kristin Rowan, Editor In December, 2023, The Medicare Payment Advisory Committee (MedPAC) recommended a 22% payment reduction for hospice providers. This week, they've recommended additional cuts once again. MedPAC has just released the March,...
CMS Issues Medicaid Guidance on Change Healthcare Hack
From the NAHC News Desk, March 19, 2024 On March 15th, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a Center Informational Bulletin (CIB) that provides guidance and flexibilities to mitigate the impacts on providers resulting from...
MedPAC Exposes More Medicare Advantage Crimes
by Tim Rowan, Editor Emeritus This week, we look at the state of the healthcare industry, vis a vis payers that do not pay. While Home Health and Hospice leaders talk at every gathering about refusing to accept Medicare Advantage clients, some...
