Category: Events

Innovations Showcase & Star Awards Postponed

Given the events in Boston yesterday — and with the streets around the Revere Hotel closed as of this writing — the Alliance is postponing tomorrow’s awards ceremony.  Between the logistical challenges and the somber mood of the whole city, we feel it would be difficult and inappropriate to celebrate.

We are busy rescheduling the event and will notify everyone as soon as we have a new date and a location secured.  Our thoughts and prayers go to the victims and their families.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

New HIPAA Rules Issued: Disclosures and Revised Notices of Privacy Practices

The following information was submitted by Elizabeth Hogue, Esq:

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued final rules to:

  • Modify the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy, Security and Enforcement Rules to implement statutory amendments under the Health Information Technology Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act) to strengthen the privacy and security protection for individuals’ health information;
  • Modify the rule for Breach Notification for Unsecured Protected Health Information (Breach Notification Rule) under the HITECH Act to address public comments received on the interim final rule;
  • Modify the HIPAA Privacy Rule to strengthen the privacy protections for genetic information by implementing section 105 of Title 1 of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA); and
  • Make other modifications to the HIPAA Privacy, Security, Breach Notification and Enforcement Rules to improve their workability and effectiveness, and to increase flexibility and decrease burden on regulated entities.

The final rules were published in the Federal Register on January 25,2013, and will be effective on March 26, 2013.  Covered entities and business associates must comply with the final rules by September 23, 2013.  This is the third in a series of articles that will address key provisions of the rules, their impact on post-acute providers, and practical solutions for compliance. Continue reading “New HIPAA Rules Issued: Disclosures and Revised Notices of Privacy Practices”

Guest Post: Your Legislators Need to Hear From You

By: Beverly Pavasaris
President, Brockton Visiting Nurse Association
President, Home Care Alliance Board of Directors

MA-State-HouseWith six home care-related bills working their way through the State House and budget meetings in progress, now is an ideal time to get to know your legislators and speak with them about the importance of home health in their districts.

Here are four things you can do to make a difference:

Talk to your Representatives

State representative and senators (find them here) rely on informed constituents to help them understand the legislation before them.  Don’t assume that they know what home health care is or why it’s important. Be prepared to educate your legislators or their health care staff. It is well worth your time.

Your congressmen and senators, also have district offices near you, whose staff you can speak with. Make it a point to reach out to them when they are in their home district offices.

Before you contact your legislators, be sure to read up about the home care-related bills proposed in this session (and which the Home Care Alliance endorsed):

  • An Act Relative to Home Health and Hospice Aides (S.1064) sponsored by Senator Richard T. Moore.
  • An Act Establishing a Certificate of Need for Home Health Care (H.1028) sponsored by Rep. Kate Hogan
  • An Act Allowing Out of State Physicians to Order Home Care Services (S.1042) sponsored by Senator Michael Knapik
  • An Act Relative to Telehealth (Senate Docket 1771) sponsored by Senator Harriette Chandler
  • An Act Relative to Pediatric Home Care Services (H.1007) sponsored by Rep. Michael Brady
  • An Act Relative to Vehicles of Home Health Clinicians (H.1864) sponsored by Rep. John Mahoney

Be sure to contact both your personal representatives – i.e., those who represent the district you live in – and those who represent the district where your business is located.

Schedule a Home Visit

Invite legislators – both state and federal – to come with you on a home visit. Seeing how home care works is more powerful than hearing description over the phone, and also gives them a chance to meet with constituents and get a good photo op.  If you would like assistance in setting up a visit, contact the Alliance’s James Fuccione.

Recruit Your Board & Employees

Your board members and employees can also be powerful advocates for home care. Inform them about the issues and have them make phone calls to their representatives as well.

Attend Lobbying Events

  • March 17th through the 20th is NAHC’s March on Washington;
  • Massachusetts Lobby Day at the State House on March 28th; and
  • VNAA Public Policy Leadership Conference is on September 18-19, 2013 in Washington.

If you have any questions about contacting your legislators, contact James Fuccione, the Alliance’s Director of Legislative and Public Affairs.

Good luck and see you at the State House and in Washington!

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Nominate Your Best Nurses for Boston Globe Honors and Annual HCA Event

The Boston Globe will be running a special section called the “Salute to Nurses,” which will be a standalone broadsheet section appearing in The Boston Sunday Globe on May 5, 2013. This section will focus on the stories that readers submit, recognizing the impact nurses have on patients’ lives.

Over the past 11 years, thousands of people have found “Salute to Nurses” to be a meaningful and public place to give thanks to the nurses who have helped them or loved ones through difficult times.

Visit the Boston Globe’s online form and submit your best nurse stories and, for agencies, encourage your patients to do the same if they have had a exceptional experience. This is an excellent opportunity to shine a light on the work of home health nurses.

Another opportunity to spotlight the great work from nurses, aides, and other staff is to nominate them for a “Star Award,” which will be given out at HCA’s annual Innovations Showcase and Star Awards Ceremony on April 17th at the Revere Hotel in Boston.

See the posting on the Alliance’s Calendar of Events for more details.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Nominations Open For Innovation Showcase

Our Time To Shine

The Alliance will be honoring our members’ best and brightest again at our annual Innovations Showcase & Star Awards program on April 17th, at the fabulous Revere Hotel in Boston.

Nominations in all categories are open through February 26.  Don’t miss this opportunity to have your best programs and colleagues publicly recognized!

Nomination Categories

Innovation Showcase

  • Patient Care and Services
  • Operations Management/Streamlining
  • Community Outreach or Advocacy
  • Cross-Continuum Collaboration
  • Human Resources/Staff Education

Star Awards

  • Clinician of the Year
  • Aide of the Year
  • Manager of the Year
  • Legislator of the Year
  • Physician of the Year
  • Home Care Champion

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Free Webinar on Establishing a Palliative Care Program

The Home Care and Hospice Financial Managers Association (HHFMA) will hold a free webinar: Palliative Care: A Business Analysis of the Pros and Cons of Establishing a Palliative Care Program. Presented by Daniel Maison, MD, Medical Director, and Larry Oberst, CPA, CFO, both of Spectrum Health Palliative Care Program.

Friday, Feb. 15, 2013
3:00 to 4:00 PM EST
Program Description:

Does your organization think about starting a palliative care program? What are palliative care services and where are these programs delivered? What are the factors to consider when developing a palliative care program? This program covers all of those bases and more to help  decide whether to start a palliative care program.

Webinar Objectives:

  1. Define what it takes to make a case for palliative care services;

  2. Identify how palliative care programs are delivered and financed; and

  3. Identify when palliative care programs should be integrated with home health and other providers.

To Register- Click Here

(If you cannot attend live, the webinar will be recorded and archived on the HHFMA website)

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org

February ODF

The next Home Health, Hospice & Durable Medical Equipment  Open Door Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, February 20, 2013 from 2:00pm – 3:00pm, ET.  To participate by phone, dial 1-800-837-1935; Conference ID: 78869441. The agenda will be posted before the call on the ODF Website

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org

MOLST Technical Assistance Calls Planned for Certified Home Health Agencies

The Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) process and medical order form were developed to ensure that persons with advanced illness will have their decisions regarding life-sustaining treatments known, communicated and honored across Massachusetts.  Health care institutions throughout the Commonwealth are currently in various stages of implementing the use of MOLST with suitable patients.

In order to assist certified home health agencies to prepare for MOLST, the MOLST Team is scheduling technical assistance calls on the following dates:

  • February 25, from 1:00 – 2:00pm
  • March 18, from 12:00 – 1:00 pm

You may register for one of these calls by going to the MOLST website (www.MOLST-MA.org).  There you’ll also learn about the steps involved in MOLST implementation, and will find many tools for preparing your home care agency for the use of MOLST with patients.

The one-hour technical assistance conference call will provide participants with an opportunity to ask questions about MOLST, clarify concerns, and share with other callers whatever progress you’ve already made with MOLST implementation at your agency.

Registrants are strongly encouraged to review the MOLST Implementation Training available on line at http://www.molst-ma.org/molst-training-line and to download the Implementation Toolkit available at http://www.molst-ma.org/tool-kit-implementing-molst-institutions before participating in the conference call.

In order to have MOLST in place at your agency by the end of this year, now is the time to begin the implementation process.  Take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about MOLST, and register for an upcoming MOLST technical assistance call for certified home health agencies!

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Home Health and Hospice Education Webinars for 1st Quarter 2013.

The Medicare Administrative Contractor for Massachusetts, NHIC, Corp. has posted upcoming Home Health and Hospice Education Webinars for January-March 2013.  Providers are encouraged to participate in these educational sessions.

More information on registration, materials, and training assessments are provided on the Education Programs Information section for NHIC website. Note: Registration is required for all programs.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Reminder- “Home Health and Hospice ODF” – Wednesday, January 9th

The next Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 2:00 PM Eastern Time (ET).

Proposed Agenda

1. Proposal to discontinue the Home Health Advance Beneficiary Notice (HHABN), Form CMS-R-296, and replace the HHABN with a new Home Health Change of Care Notice (HHCCN), Form CMS-10280, and the existing Advance Beneficiary Notice of Noncoverage (ABN), Form CMS-R-131.

2. HHCAPS

3. Home Health Study regarding Access to Care

4. Home Health & Hospice Quality Reporting Update

5. Retroactive Grouper Change for Basel Cell, Squamous Cell, and Unspecified Malignant Cancers for Home Health Services Rendered October 1, 2011 through December 31, 2012

6. Update to OASIS Web-Based Training at: http://surveyortraining.cms.hhs.gov , Addition of Module, OASIS C Online Training: Patient Tracking Domain

7. Flu Vaccination Announcement

8.  Open Q&A

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Dial: 1-800-837-1935 & Reference Conference ID: 78868196.

The audio recording of this call that can be accessed by dialing 1-855-859-2056 and entering the Conference ID beginning 2 hours after the call has ended. The recording expires after 2 business days

Encore: 1-855-859-2056; Conference ID: 78868196

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.