Latest News
The most recent news, announcements, and regulatory updates for home health, hospice, and supportive care at home
2025 Hospice Final Rule
by Kristin Rowan, EditorOn July 30, 2024, CMS issued its final rule for the 2025 Hospice Final Rule Update (CMS-1810-F), with updates to HQRP and HOPE. The rule also finalizes a proposal to change the statistical area delineations. This will impact...
M&A: Commure Acquires Augmedix
by Tanay Tandon, CEO, CommureToday I’m excited to share that Commure is signing to acquire Augmedix (NASDAQ: AUGX) and take the company private. Combined, we believe we’re creating one of the largest, most comprehensive, and fastest-growing...
What’s Love Got to Do with It?
This article is part one of a two-part series from Activated Insights, formerly Home Care Pulse. Come back next week for the continuing story. Read more about Caring for the Caregiver here. by Todd Austin and Sasha EricksonHealthcare employees...
Managed Care Plans: How to Meet Their Needs
by Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq.Medicare Managed Care Plans have a long history of disinterest in provision of services to patients in their homes. Despite the fact that they are mandated to provide the same services that enrollees in Medicare...
MA Past, Present, and Possible Future: Nothing Good to Report
by Tim Rowan, Editor EmeritusFor at least the last five years, every Home Health conference this reporter has attended has featured at least one keynote speaker or expert panelist complaining about sparse and shrinking payments from Medicare...
Federal Regulations for Adult Protective Services
by Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq.On May 7, 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued a final rule establishing the first federal regulations for Adult Protective Services (APS). The regulations took effect on June 7, 2024. The...
HHAeXchange: An Interview with Paul Joiner
by Kristin Rowan, EditorThe care at home industry changes seemingly daily with new regulations, HH agencies opening and closing, more people qualifying for Medicare, technological advances like artificial intelligence, and the list goes on. Since...
BREAKING NEWS: Warren, Cassidy React to Supreme Court Ruling
by Kristin Rowan, EditorSenators Warren and Cassidy react to the landmark decision by the Supreme Court in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. That decision effectively overturned the Chevron Doctrine, which gave deference to federal agency...
Kickbacks for Referrals are Costly…and Illegal
by Elizabeth E Hogue, Esq.Three home health agencies and their parent company in Cincinnati, Ohio, must pay $4,496,330 to resolve alleged violations of the federal False Claims Act by providing kickbacks to assisted living facilities in exchange...
Payer or Competitor?
by Tim Rowan, Editor EmeritusPayer or Competitor...that is the question. According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, and questioned by the insurance industry's lobbying arm, AHIP, UnitedHealth Group has increased its revenue from the Medicare...
Recruitment, Retention, and Reward: Product Review
by Kristin Rowan, EditorThe workforce shortage, caregiver burnout, after effects of the pandemic, and the advent of "quiet quitting" have impacted home care agencies's ability to fully staff and care for their patients. Hiring new caregivers is not...
HIPAA Violations
by Elizabeth E. Hogue, Esq.Imagine that a celebrity receives care where you work and curiosity gets the better of you, or someone you know is admitted and you would love to know the details. It’s oh so very tempting! So, you access records of care...
Chevron Deference Derailed
by Kristin Rowan, Editor"A government agency must conform to any clear legislative statements when interpreting and applying a law, but courts will give the agency deference in ambiguous situations as long as its interpretation is reasonable."This...
Department of Labor Changes Exemption and Overtime Thresholds
by Tim Rowan, Editor EmeritusOvertime and exemption thresholds impact employers trying to balance cost-effective policies with employee fairness. As such, they keep a close eye on rules they must follow that come down from the U.S. Department of...
