The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) issued a provider letter (PDF) to Home and Community Support Services Agencies last February regarding delays in initial licensure and Medicare certification. Last week DADS issued an updated letter, reminding providers of a continued delay because of a "very large number" of applications. To shorten the delay, DADS encourages applicants to make requests at least eight months in advance, delay requests until they've provided … [Read more...] about Delayed and Expired Licenses
Hurricane Katrina Waivers, Computer Updates
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) has released a new provider letter with information on waivers for Hurricane Katrina evacuees. You may access it here (PDF). This past September, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved a waiver that allowed Hurricane Katrina evacuees in Texas to enroll in the waiver program through January 31, 2006. In response to providers' questions about beneficiaries whose eligibility is expiring, DADS stated that … [Read more...] about Hurricane Katrina Waivers, Computer Updates
Telehealth
With budget cuts to Medicare, we can assume that home health care agencies are looking for ways to save money. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is pushing for more home health agencies to participate in "telehealth." Instead of visiting homes, home health agencies can collect information, offer diagnoses and medical advice via telephone. (Medical News Today) The goals of telehealth include: Reducing the rate of hospitalization Increasing the rate of influenza and … [Read more...] about Telehealth
Building and Electrical Codes
The Texas legislature recently amended sections of the Local Government Code, which will affect certain long term care providers. The amendments were added to define "International Building Code" and "Commercial." The letter can be accessed through PDF file by clicking here. All municipalities must adopt the International Building Code as the standard for commercial buildings for which construction begins on or after January 1, 2006. You can read the text of the bill here. … [Read more...] about Building and Electrical Codes
The HCSSA Survey Process
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services has issued a letter informing Home and Community Support Services Agencies about what they can expect when their agency is surveyed. The letter outlines each stage of the process, including how to begin the informal review of deficiencies, and agency rights and responsibilities. Download a PDF copy of the five-page letter. … [Read more...] about The HCSSA Survey Process
Legislating Ethics: So…Where’s Your Compliance Plan?
You may have heard of them at seminars, seen them referenced in handbooks and vaguely associated them with the 1996 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). But what are Compliance Plans and, more importantly, why don't you have one yet? Do You Want a Compliance Plan? You Bet…And You'd Better! The Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Health and Human Services dictates that almost all providers have Compliance Plans. Specifically, the … [Read more...] about Legislating Ethics: So…Where’s Your Compliance Plan?
New Regulations for Critical Access Hospitals
Last month the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a memo to state survey agency directors that will affect certain providers. The memo (PDF) contains information about changes to statutory requirements for critical access hospitals (CAH). Instead of paraphrasing, I'll quote from the memo: The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA), enacted on December 8, 2003, contained a number of modifications to the CAH statutory requirements … [Read more...] about New Regulations for Critical Access Hospitals
Long Term Care Providers and Foreign Drugs
It goes without saying that long term care providers are allowed to administer drugs to patients, and extra care is required when acquiring, receiving, dispensing and administering foreign prescription drugs. The attached letter (PDF) instructs state survey agency directors on what to do when providers administer foreign drugs. Foreign drugs that purport to be the same as Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs may be substandard and/or dangerous. Providers must make sure that foreign … [Read more...] about Long Term Care Providers and Foreign Drugs
Looters Target Nursing Home
This is truly disturbing: Managers at a nursing home were prepared to cope with the power outages and had enough food for days, but then the looting began. The Covenant Home's bus driver surrendered the vehicle to carjackers after being threatened. Bands of people drove by the nursing home, shouting to residents, ``Get out!'' On Wednesday, 80 residents, most of them in wheelchairs, were being evacuated to other nursing homes in the state. ``We had enough food for 10 days,'' said Peggy … [Read more...] about Looters Target Nursing Home
Updates on Letters to Providers
Ipecac Requirements (Assisted Living and Adult Day Care Facilities)In a Provider letter Texas DADS tackles the issue of facilities stocking Ipecac for use as treatment for poisoning by inducing vomiting. Apparently, some in the Medical Field question its use and whether on not it should be removed from first aid kits. The letter notes that the use of Ipecac is currently being investigated by the FDA--though it is still available.The provider letter notes that the Texas Poison Center, however, … [Read more...] about Updates on Letters to Providers