In a new press release, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) officially announced the opening of their Hospice Compare website. The website which focuses on palliative and end of life care was designed to improve transparency, the consumer experience and empower patients. giving families, patients and the physicians who care for them a reliable resource and "snapshot" of the quality of care a hospice facility provides, as well as information related to health care decisions. The … [Read more...] about CMS Launches New Hospice Care Website for Families, Physicians and their Patients.
When Dying is Profitable. Practice of Hospice patients being discharged before death linked to higher profits for facilities
In the past years, there has been a major increase in for-profit hospices and according to a study published last month in the journal Health Affairs titled: “A Positive Association Between Hospice Profit Margin And The Rate At Which Patients Are Discharged Before Death.” The study was researched from a sample of 1,439 freestanding hospices, as well as for-profit, chain-owned and nonprofit facilities, and their live discharge rates. The report found that live discharge rate rose from 2000 t0 … [Read more...] about When Dying is Profitable. Practice of Hospice patients being discharged before death linked to higher profits for facilities
Hospice Care To Increase For U.S. Veterans via Initiatives to Improve Care at the End of Life.
Recently, a Texas home hospice care patient went viral online after hundreds of inspired and sympathetic people called and sent well-wishes to terminally ill army veteran, Lee. As the story is reported in the news; the influx of support came after his wife told a friend that the Lee had asked to hold his phone and when she asked why he said, 'in case someone calls but after a couple hours and no calls he told his wife, 'I guess no one wants to talk to me.' In recent reports, A 2009 initiative … [Read more...] about Hospice Care To Increase For U.S. Veterans via Initiatives to Improve Care at the End of Life.
Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Projects are Subject to Unannounced Visits to Ensure Project Implementation
Provider Letter No. 17-17 - DADS addresses Civil Money Penalty projects(CMP) regarding the documentation regarding the status of their project and the monitoring of the performance of the contract deliverables as indicated in Attachment C to the contract, Special Conditions for CMP Funded Contracts, section 4.01, Measurement. If your facility has applied and been approved by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to receive CMP funds, your facility is subject to unannounced … [Read more...] about Civil Money Penalty (CMP) Projects are Subject to Unannounced Visits to Ensure Project Implementation
Deadline: Provider Reports Should be Reviewed By June 30. CMS Inaugural Release of Hospice Compare Scheduled for this Summer 2017.
The Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) was mandated by the Affordable Care Act and requires the Secretary to publicly report quality measures that relate to hospice care provided by hospice programs on the Hospice Compare website. The HQRP includes data submitted by hospices through the Hospice Item Set (HIS), and the Hospice CAHPS. CMS will release its first ever Hospice Compare data report this summer. According to CMS Any corrections can be made to your HIS data for 36 months beyond the … [Read more...] about Deadline: Provider Reports Should be Reviewed By June 30. CMS Inaugural Release of Hospice Compare Scheduled for this Summer 2017.
CMS to add 200 more facilities to the Music & Memory Program in Texas. Latest expansion to include 165 more nursing homes.
Music therapy is one of the methods that health facilities and providers are researching which may be beneficial to people with disabilities living in long-term intermediate care facilities. The Music & Memory initiative for Dementia patients began in 2015 as a way to improve and build upon the quality of life for those nursing home residents. The music and memory program's first two phases included a roll-out at 250 nursing homes in Texas. The program is executed by using Apple iPods or … [Read more...] about CMS to add 200 more facilities to the Music & Memory Program in Texas. Latest expansion to include 165 more nursing homes.
CMS & CBO Report different numbers on possible effect of AHCA in the healthcare market
The Republican led U.S. House of Representatives approved the American Health Care Act of 2017 last may and now the Office of the Chief Actuary of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released its report on the Estimated Financial Effect of the “AHCA .” According to reports from the Health Affairs Organization:"The headline from the Actuary’s report that is likely to receive the most attention is that the CMS Actuary sees the AHCA as increasing the uninsured by 4 million for 2018/2019 … [Read more...] about CMS & CBO Report different numbers on possible effect of AHCA in the healthcare market
Ban on nursing home arbitration agreement officially lifted by CMS.
Ban on nursing home arbitration agreement officially lifted by CMS.Upheld by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services under the Trump Administration, according to reports, the ban on nursing home arbitration clauses has been lifted. CMS Issued the 'Proposed Revision Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities’ Arbitration Agreements on its website. Obama-era regulation previously stopped nursing homes from forcing patients and their families to sign binding arbitration agreements, … [Read more...] about Ban on nursing home arbitration agreement officially lifted by CMS.
Moratorium on HHA Enrollment in Texas
Provider Letter No. 16-35 –Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) relating to licensing and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Moratorium on Home Health Agency (HHA) Enrollment in Texas (Replaces PL 14-12)The federal moratorium on enrollment of HHAs in the Medicare, Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP), is expanded to include the entire state of Texas. The initial moratorium, first implemented on January 30, 2014 and extended through July 28, 2016, affected the … [Read more...] about Moratorium on HHA Enrollment in Texas
OASIS
OASIS is a data collection tool used by licensed and Medicare-certified home health (L&CHH) agencies. All L&CHH agencies must collect and transmit OASIS assessment data on all Medicare and Medicaid patients 18 years and older receiving skilled services, as required by Code of Federal Regulations, Title 42, Chapter IV, Subchapter G, Part 484, §484.20. HCSSAs that fail to comply with the OASIS requirements risk receiving a citation at the standard and condition levels as well as … [Read more...] about OASIS
