Volume 9, Number 46 — October 14, 2020
Dear Healthcare at Home Colleague,
Our nation's ongoing battle against COVID-19 is a source of inspiration for some of our tech companies. They are adding features, beefing up support services, and in one case going so far as to distribute PPE to their customers, not a typical function of a software company. We interviewed three of them this week and have at least three more lined up for next week's edition.
MEDICAID
If you are involved with state self-directed payment programs or what many states call Home and Community-Based Services, be sure to read our interview with HHAeXchange CEO Greg Strobel. We spoke with him and the co-founder of AnnKissam, Mollie Murphy, about their recently announced acquisition.
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MEDICARE
If you received accelerated or advanced payments this spring, you may have already heard about the change CMS made last week in your repayment requirements. Darcey Trescone talked to some experts and put together a briefing on the details of how the new plan will work. Suffice it to say, you will be glad if you did not spend all the money already.
We also spoke this week with Holly Miller, Chief Revenue Officer for PlayMaker Health. The company announced a new product that will help HHAs keep up with Medicare Advantage referrals as that sector continues to grow.
If you have ever had a handful of sample claims audited and had irregularities found in a few of them, and if those deemed overpayments were then extrapolated into huge repayment amounts, you will be able to relate to one HHA that took its appeal all the way to the Supreme Court. Read guest author Elizabeth Hogue's analysis of the case.
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EVERYONE
We also spoke with Navin Gupta, the president of MatrixCare, a Resmed company. With both their private duty and Home Health and Hospice software, he told us, they are being innovative to help their customers cope with this extraordinary year. He told us about customer feedback forums, integration with a telehealth company, and a video instruction service.
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Worth the Trip
If you are in Colorado and registered for your state association's annual meeting, held online, I invite you to consider the session I will help to present Friday morning at 9:00 am, Mountain Time. The CEO and Home Health Director of a Colorado Springs Center for Independent Living, The Independence Center, will describe Hospital-to-Home,a successful partnership with a local hospital. They will lay out how they made it happen. Dozens of patients have been discharged from hospital stays directly to their homes when previously they would have spent weeks or months in skilled nursing facilities. The hospital is savings hundreds of thousands of dollars and sharing some of it with their home health partner. Register here.
Have a great week. Keep making a difference!
Accelerated Payment Payback Decelerated
CMS issued $106 billion in payments to providers and suppliers to alleviate the financial burden healthcare providers faced while experiencing cash flow issues in the early stages of combating the coronavirus disease 2019 Public Health Emergency. Repayment plans announced October 1, 2020 will benefit the providers.
U.S. Supreme Court Hears HHA Extrapolation of Overpayment Case
HHA pursues $12.5 million extrapolation case for 10 years, all the way to the Supreme Court. Did they win?
PlayMaker Health Announces the Launch Of Medicare Advantage Data Sets Solution
Visibility into Medicare Advantage data enables home health and hospice agencies target each referral source with the right message.
MatrixCare Pointing to Home Healthcare's Future
MatrixCare president Navin Gupta explains the company's efforts to meet new patient demand and help slow the spread of COVID-19, including finding PPE and distributing it to customers.
HHAeXchange Acquires HCBS Financial Services Company
Boston-based Annkissam LLC provides software for fiscal intermediaries that work with patients in Self-Directed as well as Home and Community-Based Services programs.
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During the 3rd Quarter of 2020, web sites of the above advertisers were visited by home care and hospice executives and staff 3691 times. To inquire about placing your message here, contact: Kristin@rowanresources.com As of this date, approximately 39,325,000 Baby Boomers have become Medicare eligible. |
Last Week's Most-Read Stories:
Penalty Announced for Delayed No-Pay RAP Submission
Stop Nibbling At The Edges! Part 1
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FREE WEBINAR: How Technology Enhances Home Care in an Increasingly Remote World *
Sponsored by: Care Connect
Moderator: Tim Rowan
Panelists: Mike Gelman, President COO, CareConnect; Jim Rolla, SVP, VNSYNY Partners in Care; Steve Pellito, SVP, Provider Sales, Sandata
Date: November 12
Time: 1:00 pm EDT
Virtual Conference: Southwest Homecare and Hospice
A collaborative online conference by the home care associations of:
- Arizona
- Colorado
- Louisiana
- New Mexico
- Oklahoma
- Utah
- and the Arizona Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
Date: November 18-19
Experience recognized experts and thought leaders as they share their insights, actionable strategies, and relevant tools and resources.
The 2021 Home Health Final Rule
Insights to position your agency for success
Sponsored by: WellSky
Featuring: Sharon Harder, president, C3 Advisors; Jill Dyer, BSN, RN, HCS-D, HCS-O, president, JID Consulting and Coding, LLC
Date: November 18
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 ESTAttendees will learn:
- How to prepare for and implement the operational changes imposed by the final rule, including submission of no-pay RAPs within five calendar days of the start of care and changes to the types of non-physician practitioners who can order home health services
- The impact of CMS’s decision to retain the PDGM behavioral adjustment
- The status of proposed legislation aimed to allow home health agencies to bill for telehealth services during public health emergencies and how this change would affect care planning and delivery
FREE WEBINAR: CY2021 Home Health Final PPS Rule
Presented by: HealthRev Partners
Featuring: John Reisinger, CPA
Date: November 19
Time: 2:00 EST
Fee: FreeCMS released the Final Home Health Prospective Payment System Rule for CY2021, which will impact all Medicare-certified home health agencies. In this webinar, John Reisinger, CPA, will discuss the various updates and the projected impact on home health, all the way down to the agency level. He’ll review: – Significant issues and changes in the final rule – Home health payment rates – Telehealth provisions for home health – Requirements for home health infusion therapy suppliers – Preparation tips for upcoming changes
For more than 20 years, John Reisinger, CPA, Principal of Innovative Financial Solutions, has been an industry leader in education about the CMS rule-making process. His diverse background includes Medicare auditor, home health financial executive, and he currently serves as a highly in-demand home health and hospice consultant and turnaround specialist.
FREE WEBINAR: RAP Changes in 2021 – Learn and Prepare!
Sponsored by: HealthCare Synergy
Featuring: Mike Deck, Synergy EMR Project Manager
Date: Thursday, November 19
Time: 11:00 am PST / 2:00 pm EST
Information and RegistrationOverview:
CMS continues to drive new rules for home health care, and January 1, 2021 brings a change that will directly effect both your intake process and budgets.
Objectives:
- How to avoid penalties, including loss of payment for a full billing period starting on Jan 1, 2021
- What changes HealthCare Synergy has made to the software to alleviate concerns
FREE WEBINAR: Why it is All About Cash-Flow in 2021
Sponsored by: KanTime
Featuring: Kristi Bajer, RN, COSC VP clinical Operations @OperaCare, LLC; Michael McGowan, Founder, President @OperaCare,LLC
Date: November 24
Time: 1:00 EST; 10:00 PSTAGENDA:
- Quick overview of the final rule and Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) We will review everything your agency needs to know about the final rule and RCD
- Deep dive into the RAP in 2021 History and future of the RAP What you need and don’t need to file a RAP in 2021 How does the RAP penalty work? What if the RAP is late? Exceptional circumstances, Cancelled RAPs and low utilization patients How to ensure HIPPS codes for RAP and final match
- Home health cash flow in 2021 Why flying blind financially is not an option for successful agencies How RAP timing is crucial for financial management Why controlling compliance and utilization is necessary for your agency’s health How to use your OASIS as your Medicare Pre-authorization
- Learn how OperaCare Clients submit their RAPs in 4-24 hours by utilizing "Live Interactive QA."
VIRTUALLY UNSTOPPABLE
The 2020 Annual Conference of the South Carolina Home Care & Hospice Association
Virtual Conference: December 9-10
This year's conference will be presented onlineKeynote Speakers:
- David Rendall, Author of "Pink Goldfish"
- Bill Dombi, President, NAHC, "The View From Washington"
*The Rowan Report will see you there.
Your state or national association meeting or webinar not listed? Send the details to Conferences@RowanResources.com using this format:
Conference Title
Sponsoring Association
Date(s)
Hotel or Conference Center, City, State
URL
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