The U.S. House of Representatives last week passed an AFGE-backed bill that would allow veterans to access more care at home. H.R. 8371, The “Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act,” passed on a bipartisan 389-9 vote. Under the bill, veterans who are eligible for VA care are covered for non-VA care at home if it doesn’t cost more than that provided by the VA. The bill creates a program that allows people to hire home health aides, among other things. “Better access to home care is a longstanding priority for veterans who wish to live with as much autonomy as possible as they age or deal with functional impairments that require long-term care,” said AFGE Legislative Director Julie Tippens in a letter to House representatives. “AFGE very much appreciates that bipartisan leadership of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee worked to come up with a compromise that will limit the impact of privatization while delivering needed benefits to veterans.” A compromise was reached on a provision that would make final decisions to refer to private care made by a veteran and a doctor based on the best medical interest of the patient. AFGE is concerned that taking away the VA’s ability to review these decisions will lead to inappropriate use of private care. In response to these concerns, the compromise sunsets this provision after two years, which will allow Congress to evaluate its impact on the integrity of the direct care system before making a permanent change that could undermine VA’s ability to provide the quality, integrated care veterans only receive at the VA. Our RCM and credentialing teams help home health entities capitalize on this opportunity by streamlining provider credentialing for VA approvals, ensuring compliance with billing and cost regulations, and implementing efficient processes for reimbursement. We enable entities to navigate VA requirements, optimize claims management, and deliver high-quality care to veterans. Cliniqon is committed to delivering Guaranteed Quality, Ensured Compliance, and Unparalleled Outcomes in Home Health and Hospice agencies. #HomeHealthServices #HospiceCare #FrontEndServices #BackOfficeSolutions #HealthcareManagement #RevenueCycleManagement #HealthcareCompliance #PatientSupport #CareCoordination #MedicalBilling #ClaimsManagement #PatientEngagement #HealthcareOutsourcing #MedicalCoding #ProviderSupport #CliniqonCare #HealthcareSolutions #PatientCareExcellence #HomeHealthRCM #HospiceBilling
Keith Washington’s Post
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New Legislation Seeks to Streamline Access to Home Health Services, Improve Senior Care by inplementing the Timely Access to Care Act. This legislation will remove prior authorization requirements for home care services, helping hospitals expedite discharges and alleviate capacity issues. Read more - https://ow.ly/BiNq50Sl0QI #seniorcare #healthcare 👴🏥👵
‘An Absurd Amount of Denials’: New Legislation Seeks to Streamline Access to Home Health Services, Improve Senior Care
https://homehealthcarenews.com
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Ok follow me here for the second day in a row. Providers have referrals. These patients genuinely need home health, but we (MA plans) are going to push MASSIVE operational inefficiency by making us go through this absolutely unnecessary authorization process. 1. Tell me again how MA is better for our home health patients? (Home health btw decreases readmissions more than any other care delivery setting) 2. Tell me how this is better for my patients NOT getting re-hospitalized due to delays? Someone please make it make sense. I am so appreciative of the advocates in our industry pushing back. We need CMS to take the horse blinders off for one millisecond to see that our patients we HAVE to serve, can’t be served because MA plans care more about profits than they do care delivery.
‘An Absurd Amount of Denials’: New Legislation Seeks to Streamline Access to Home Health Services, Improve Senior Care
https://homehealthcarenews.com
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Are you reading our blog page? Check it out!
Earlier this month, Florida Gov. Ron Desantis signed bills into law designed to help patients in need of home health care and to improve healthcare cost transparency. Both bills take effect July 1 and are among six pieces of legislation that make up the $1.1 billion “Live Healthy” package.
Two Bills to go Into Law July 1 That Impact Home Health and Access to Healthcare Cost Information %
https://vitalehealthlaw.com
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🏠 Millions of Medicare Patients Are Not Receiving Recommended Home Health Care In 2022, more than 2.7 million hospitalized #Medicare patients received a referral for home health care. Many of them likely did not receive this care, however — even though not getting recommended home health services is linked with higher rates of hospital readmission and death. On To the Point, KNG Health Consulting, LLC’s Marie Steele-Adjognon, Clarence Kelley, and Lane Koenig report on research showing that the home #healthcare delivery rate for Medicare patients fell from 66% to 59% between 2016 and 2022. Although the COVID-19 pandemic may have played a role in this decline, the researchers say the closure of many #homehealth agencies, staffing shortages, and patient preferences were all factors as well. To ensure referrals are fulfilled, hospitals would need to consider improving their follow-up with patients and expanding use of #telehealth, among other measures.
Fewer Hospitalized Medicare Beneficiaries Are Receiving Recommended Home Health Care
commonwealthfund.org
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2024 Annual Conference Speaker Spotlight! Bill Dombi, President, National Association for Home Care & Hospice Industry icon will kick-off our 2024 Annual Conference by presenting our opening keynote. Home Care & Hospice National Update: A View from Washington In 2022 and 2023, Congress and federal agencies took numerous actions that involve federal health care programs including Medicare and Medicare that significantly affect home care and hospice. These changes will impact quality of care standards, program integrity requirements, and payment rates in 2024 and beyond. It is essential that providers of health care at home continue to stay aware of these changes to continue to provide high quality of care, remain compliant with the myriad of participation requirements, and obtain fair reimbursement for the services rendered. Today’s greatest pressure point for all providers of care at home is the workforce shortage. Federal action is underway, taking steps to improve the availability of qualified caregivers of all disciplines. This program provides the up-to-the-minute update on what Congress and federal agencies are doing affecting home care and hospice. Registration is open here ➡ https://lnkd.in/e7K_8kTb #cthealthcareathome #annualconference
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Our very own Steven Horowitz was recently featured in an article by Home Health Care News that sheds light on a critical gap in the healthcare continuum: the importance of post-acute care relationships. A new survey of health plans underscores the issue, revealing that many MA plans are missing out on financial benefits and improved member outcomes due to inadequate post-acute care strategies. It's concerning that 43% of respondents only expressed "moderate confidence" that their members are receiving the appropriate level of care post-discharge. At CareCentrix, we can help close this gap for health plans through our Post Acute Care Site Optimization and Readmissions Management solutions, where we manage the entire post-acute transition of care for members from hospital to home, for up to 90 days post-discharge. Learn how our approach not only helps reduce unnecessary readmissions and costs, but also improves member experience: https://lnkd.in/eejnvxqA #postacutecare #homecare #homehealth #healthplans #payers #medicareadvantage
Without Proper Post-Acute Care Relationships, MA Plans Are Leaving Money On The Table
https://homehealthcarenews.com
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Check out my latest opinion article for Regal Mag on why Kamala Harris' plan for Medicare home health would change my mother's life. #harriswalz #africanamerican #healthcare #nursinghome #regalmag
Opinion: Regal Mag publisher Todd A. Smith explains why Kamala’s Medicare at home plan would change his mother’s life. What part of Harris’ platform do you like, dislike the most? #medicare #homehealth #caretaker https://lnkd.in/gQ9dJm8w
Kamala Harris’ Medicare at Home Plan Could Change My Mother’s Life - Regal Mag
https://www.regalmag.com
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Despite the rising challenges facing Home Health providers in 2024, Susan Ponder-Stansel, President and CEO of Alivia Care, Inc. believes there is a clear path. “We’re really focused on standing up value-based care. We really believe that that’s going to be the way that you succeed financially, and also succeed in being able to deliver better outcomes to seriously ill patients.” Value-based programs like The PACE Place ensure seniors get the care they need. Read the full Home Health Care News article below. #AliviaCare #ToCareAllWays #ToCareAlways #PACE CarePartners
Facing The Future: Home Health Providers Gear Up For 2024's Value-Based Care, M&A Landscapes
https://homehealthcarenews.com
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With the 2025 home health final payment rule came the admission-to-service policy — an update to the Medicare Conditions of Participation. In many ways, experts consider it a formalization of measures home health providers are already taking. With insight from LeadingAge, National Alliance for Care at Home. https://bit.ly/3OBLxt3
CMS Home Health Admission-To-Service Policy Misses The Heart Of Providers' Capacity Issues
https://homehealthcarenews.com
