Volume 9, Number 50 — September 23, 2020
Dear Healthcare at Home Colleague,
This week's top news story may upset Medicare providers more than last week's most-read news story. We told you about Administrator Seema Verma being accused of spending Medicare funds on herself. Now, after a 35-day delay, Administrator Verma has finally released payback and reporting guidance for those who received emergency PRF payments under the CARES Act.
Much of what these providers were counting on regarding repayment has changed, for the worse. Some will have to pay it all back. Many who thought they were under the threshold to report how they spent PRF funds will be dismayed that the threshold has moved from $150,000 to $10,000. If you took advantage of this emergency program, start with Darcey Trescone's report, "Recipients of HHS Provider Relief Fund Payments Surprised by New Use Guidance," below.
It may be little consolation but CMS also announced this week that 33 states will be give addition funds to help transition patients from residential facilities to the community. If your state is on the list, there could be significant Medicaid money involved. See this week's "CMS News" column.
As I write this, our nation is in the fourth or fifth crisis of 2020. After being hit with a once-in-a-century pandemic, record-breaking hurricanes and wildfires, a strange new Medicare payment system, serious accusations of wrongdoing against our CMS Administrator, and the loss of a beloved Supreme Court Justice, now we have to somehow survive a simultaneous election and divisive political battle that could impact the future of the Affordable Care Act.
Through it all, home health, hospice, and home care continue to demonstrate that you are the solution to many of these challenges. As we reported last week, Skilled Nursing Facilities are emptying out and in-home caregivers are answering the call. As it has always done, our little corner of the healthcare world delivers comfort, healing, and cost savings, all through the sacrifice and compassion of selfless field and office staff. Sooner or later, politicians at the source of many of these crises will be coming to you for healthcare. Knowing you, the care you give will be as professional and compassionate as the care you would give to elderly patients who never lied to you, never denied science, and never burdened you with onerous regulations and reimbursement rates.
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Home Care Providers: One way to tell that a sector is growing is to count the number of software companies that spring up to serve it. By that standard, non-medical home care must be booming. This week, we review an agency management product that was introduced at the HCAOA meeting last year but is now making waves following sales wins in tight competitive contests with a couple of national organizations, against some more established competitors. Click below on "SwyftOps Enters the Non-Medical Software Arena" to read our review of the new company's private duty agency management system.
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Everybody: Over the last few years, we have made a point of bring you up to speed on the opportunities that come your way thanks to social media. This week's lesson is an important one because it also points out the dangers of not nurturing your online reputation. Guest author Roger McManus, MBA, begins his combination primer and warning with the premise, "Your online reputation is there for all the world to see whether you pay attention to it or not." Don't miss this week's entry on Roger's educational and entertaining series, "Three Reasons Online Reviews Matter." This will also be the topic of an upcoming webinar Roger and I will be doing for Ankota. Watch this space for date and time details.
"PREPARATION FOR A NEW NORMAL: INFECTION CONTROL" is a free webinar hosted by our friends at Savii. It is set for Tuesday, October 20, at 1:00 PM EDT. The instructor will be James Cohen, founder and CEO of Nevvon, an online education service. James' educational background is in finance and healthcare, while his business experience has been in the delivery of healthcare. Before starting Nevvon, James founded and exited a technology-enabled home care provider which serviced 2 countries and 3 States. Click here for more information.
If technology is more your style than infection control, put AlayaCare's next free webinar on your calendar. Earn 1 CEU by attending "Telehealth in Home Health Beyond the Public Health Emergency." Featured speakers are Irina Gorovaya, owner and president of Amity Healthcare Group, and AlayaCare Account Executive Erin Vallier.
I'll try to find more uplifting news next week. Until then, stay healthy and keep making a difference!
Recipients of HHS Provider Relief Fund Payments Surprised by New Use Guidance
This new notice to PRF recipients may find some surprised healthcare providers owing some, if not all, of their payments back to HHS.
Three Reasons Reviews Matter
Your online reputation is there for all the world to see whether you pay attention to it or not. Here is one online marketing expert's opinion as to why you need to pay attention to it.
CMS News: New Funds for Transitioning Patients from SNF to Home
New program provides funds to move patients from institutions to their homes.
SwyftOps Enters the Non-Medical Software Arena
One can measure the growth of the non-medical home care sector by the number of entrepreneurs building software for it. Here is another new one.
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During the 3rd Quarter of 2021, web sites of the above advertisers were visited by home care and hospice executives and staff 6532 times. To inquire about placing your message here, contact: Kristin@rowanresources.com As of this date, approximately 39,094,000 Baby Boomers have become Medicare eligible. |
Last Week's Most-Read Stories:
Bi-Partisan Congressional Committees Demand CMS Administrator Repay Misspent Funds
Vendor Watch
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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
FREE WEBINAR: Cybersecurity in Healthcare: Assess Threats & Reduce Your Risk
Presented by: Netsmart
Featuring: Randy Pargman, Binary Defense senior director of threat hunting and counterintelligence; Sharon Hicks, MBA, MSW, OPEN MINDS senior associate; and Mike Murray, Netsmart director of Plexus Technologies,
Date: December 9
Time: 1:00 EST
Healthcare organizations are often at risk of cyberattacks due to a lack of dedicated IT and reliance on traditional reactive approaches. To learn how to protect your data, register now to join Randy Pargman, as they map the risk landscape and provide guidance for safeguarding your organization.
Key takeaways:
• Cyber threats in healthcare
• Impacts of a data breach
• Best practices for securing your data
FREE WEBINAR: Can you collect Cash faster?Sponsored by: Savii
Date: Tuesday, January 12
Time: 2:00 pm EST
With small margins in home care it has prompted the question, “Can we collect cash faster?” And what would this do for an agency? One thing we know is margins are small and have become more challenging than ever to for agencies to profit. This doesn’t mean it impossible for agencies to survive; it means a focus on collecting cash faster will be ever so important.
Agency leaders will first need to develop a timeline cadence of when to address claims based on when they were submitted for payment. In addition it will be pertinent to understand their own agency metrics such as DSO (Daily Sales Outstanding) and how they compare to industry standards.
On this webinar you will walk away with how to develop a timeline and your own DSO dashboard for benchmarking. All of these topics will weave into strategic steps to take toward collecting cash flow faster.
FREE WEBINAR: The Rise of Hospital at Home: A Roundtable Discussion
Sponsored by: AlayaCare
Featuring: Dr. Bruce Leff, Hospital at Home Pioneer & Professor, John Hopkins School of Medicine; Adrian Schauer, Founder and CEO
AlayaCare; Joel Theisen, Founder and CEO, Lifesprk; Brady Murphy, VP Sales & Marketing, AlayaCareDate: Wednesday, January 27
Time: 1:00 EST
Information and RegistrationAgenda
Across the U.S., the Acute Hospital Care at Home initiative from CMS is taking off amid the pandemic with at least 80 approved participants to date. As hospital-at-home models become more popular and more beneficial to both patients and health care organizations, those that have recognized the perks of home-based care prior to the COVID-19 crisis may have the upper hand.
Join us on Wednesday, Jan 27th at 1:00 pm EST for a roundtable discussion with industry experts such as Dr. Bruce Leff, Hospital at Home Pioneer and Professor at John Hopkins School of Medicine who deserves his reputation as a founding father of this virtual hospital concept, to learn about the hospital-at-home model and its impact on the home care industry.
FREE Webinar: Practical Application of Information Blocking and Interoperability Rules for Post-Acute Care Providers
Sponsored by: Complia Health and Kno2
Date: February 18
Time: 1:00 ESTJoin healthcare technology experts Alan Swenson, VP of Interoperability at Kno2, and Melissa Turner, Director of Integration at Complia Health, on Thursday, February 18th at 1pm Eastern to learn about information blocking and what it means for your post-acute care organization today and looking ahead to the future.
FREE WEBINAR: Tech Titans Join Forces to Tackle Post Acute Care Challenges
Sponsored by: KanTime
Featuring: Terra Vicario (Moderator) CMO, Viventium; Malka Trump, Director of Compliance, Viventium; Kristen Duell, EVP, KanTime; Kim Spence, RN, Customer Success Division Leader, KanTime; James Cohen, CEO & Co-Founder, Nevvon
Date: Thursday, April 22
Time: 11:00 am PDT, 2:00 pm EDT
experts from companies with solutions for talent/retention and compliance issues, along with the continued challenges that COVID-19 has presented to our industry,
Homecare 100 *
Presented by: Lincoln Healthcare Leadership
Date: June 27-30, 2021
Venue: JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort, FL
Registration Information
2021 Home Care and Hospice Conference and Expo *
National Association for Home Care and Hospice
Date: October 3-5
Venue: New OrleansSadly, this conference has had to be postponed, due to the hurricane in New Orleans and COVID situation in Louisiana.
FREE WEBINAR: Vaccine Hesitancy: How Training Can Help
Presented by: Nevvon, Flex For Checks, & Dr. Ian Smith
Date: Monday, October 11
Time: 10:00 AM Pacific; 1:00 PM Eastern
Information and Registration
Featuring:
- Dr. Ian Smith, MD, host of TV's "The Doctors," and NY Times bestselling author
- Burgess Harrision, Executive Director, National Minority Health Association
- James Cohen, CEO, Nevvon Inc.
Who should attend? Caregiver agencies looking for creative ways to alleviate vaccine hesitancy and get more workers and patients protected from the COVID-19 virus.
Agenda:
Learn how training caregivers on vaccines can ensure better compliance, reduce hesitancy and lead to better outcomes. We will share first-hand experience of how the Flex For Checks program has been leading the way in vaccinating caregivers through an amazing and potentially lucrative incentive program.
FREE WEBINAR: Targeted Probe & Educate: Where Do You Stand?
Presented by: Healthcare Synergy
Featuring: Michael Tidd, COS-C, HCS-D, HealthCare Synergy Clinical ManagerDate: Wednesday, November 3
Time: 11:00 am PDT / 2:00 pm EDT
Overview:
Targeted Probe and Educate is a CMS initiative to seek a better understanding of agencies practices in order to protect the Medicare funds. Agencies self-identify themselves and request reviews by their actions and the data they provide to CMS. Are you aware of the signals you might be sending and how to protect yourself?
Objectives:
Speaker:
Michael Tidd has over 19 years of experience in the Home Care Industry and is a frequent speaker at HealthCare Synergy Workshops and Webinars. He is a Software Developer, LVN and Certified in ICD-9/10 Coding and OASIS (COS-C, HCS-D). As the Clinical Manager for HealthCare Synergy, he directs the Outsourced Management Services, assists in directing the development of the Healthcare Assistant Web Edition, oversees the Clinical Documentation Auditing provided to clients and directs the Clinical Form Development for the Healthcare Assistant Web Edition. Michael continues to educate agencies in the ongoing regulations that CMS produces, the proper application of the Medicare Conditions of Participation and completing timely, accurate and defendable clinical documentation to survive in the current Medicare Reimbursement Model.
AHHC 2021 Leadership Conference
Presented by: Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina
Date: November 8-9
Location: Holiday Inn Resort, Wrightsville Beach, NC
FREE WEBINAR: Admit more Patients & Stop Nursing Burnout!
Presented by: OperaCare
Date: November 10
Time: 1:00 pm EST; 10:00 PST
The nursing shortage is getting much worse and will most likely impact your business if it has not already.
During this event we will demonstrate how to complete an entire OASIS in approx. 60 minutes or less. This includes ICD-10 coding, entry and revision of medication’s, all the OASIS items, and Quality Assurance while the nurse is with the patient in the home.
The result: Eliminating 100% of after-hours documentation, increasing clinical productivity, and reducing your labor costs.
The Benefit: The ability to significantly increase your recruitment and retention efforts by providing your clinicians with a sane and humane work life balance.
Important Final Rule Discoveries Every Agency Needs to Know: Examining HH PPS for CY2022
Presented by: HealthRevPartners
Featuring: John Reisinger, CPA
DATE: November 18
TIME: 2:00 - 3:00 EST
VENUE: Online
FEE: NONE
One of the major changes in CMS’ final rule for the Home Health Prospective Payment System announced is this — ???2022 will be a "pre-implementation year for the HHVBP, which was originally scheduled to begin in January.
Learn exactly what you need to do in 2022 for HHVBP.
Additionally, we will cover these final rule changes and more:
- Individual payment rate changes ranging from:
- An increase of 35.7%, to
- A decrease of 34.6%
- 2022 will be the last year of the Rural Add-on
- Significant changes with all 432 Case-Mix Weights
And, do you know how much your Medicare revenues are projected to change?
There will be a 3.2% increase ($570 million) in home health spending for CY2022.
*The Rowan Report will see you there.
FREE WEBINAR: New, Science-Based Methodology Reduces Cost of Recruitment and Retention
Presented by: The Rowan Report
Featuring: Eric Becker, CEO, MiliMatch
Date: Thursday, March 18
Time: 3:00 pm EST; Noon PST
Recorded version available.
Agenda:
Every time a home care agency hires and trains a new caregiver, it invests about $4,500, which is wasted if that new hire does not work out, often before working a first shift. MiliMatch CEO Eric Becker will explain the company's patented product/service, based on the science of Applied Cognitive Linguistics, which has been proven to help home care agencies avoid those costly bad hires.
FREE WEBINARS: "Best of Home Care Heroes" Series
Sponsored by: Ankota
Featuring: Steve "The Hurricane" Weiss, Ophelia Cole, Barbara Gaines, Cheryl Hammons, others
Dates: Ongoing
- How Home Care Thrives in the Post-COVID World (with Steve "the Hurricane" Weiss)
- ADDED THIS WEEK: "Finishing 2021 STRONG!" Wednesday, September 15, 3-4pm EST.
Register HereContact Ankota directly about two special offers: a free trial of a staffed, live-chat solution for your website, and a discount to Steve Weiss' "Mililonaire Bootcamp."
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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