Category: News & Media

NY Times: Home Care Patients Worry Over Possible Cuts

An article front and center on the New York Times website on December 4 focused on the potential cuts to home health Medicare payments in the health care reform debate.

The story is an excellent summary touching upon the political, financial, and, most importantly, the human side of the issue. It also presents the confusion that is experienced by those who work in, and are served by, the home health industry who are aware of its cost-efficiency, among other benefits:

The proposed cuts appear to be at odds with other provisions of the giant health care bills. A major goal of those bills is to reduce the readmission of Medicare patients to hospitals. Medicare patients say that is exactly what home care does.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org

Fearless Caregiver Family Checklist

Gary Barg, Editor-in-Chief of Today’s Caregiver Magazine sent out the following article titled “The Most Loving Gift” in his latest newsletter. For more information on the magazine and caregiver issues, visit caregiver.com.

The Most Loving Gift

My dad retired at the age of 61 in 1990. He looked forward to working with my mom in the new business that they had just opened, traveling, singing with friends (not necessarily singing well, but enjoying every minute) and seeing what life had to offer. Unfortunately, life did not have much to offer past the first few months of his retirement. One summer day, my mom noticed a strange bump on my dad’s head and they went to the doctor to check it out. His doctor called a few days later and, although it was the beginning of the Fourth of July weekend, told them to check into the hospital immediately.  Dad had an aggressive case of multiple myeloma and passed a year later.  The first days after his diagnosis were hectic as Dad’s condition progressed rapidly and he was not able to communicate with us either his wishes or where his important documents were located.  We learned (as many families do) the hard lessons the hard way and developed a simple list to help start the conversation with loved ones.

Fearless Caregiver Family Checklist
The most loving gift a person can give to one’s family is to put your affairs in order before a disaster or medical emergency. To assist in providing that gift, we have compiled the following list. The information and documents you should have prepared include:

  • All bank accounts, account numbers and types of accounts, and the location of banks.
  • Insurance companies, policy numbers, beneficiary as stated on the policies and type of insurance (health, life, long-term care, automobile, etc).
  • Deed and titles to ALL property.
  • Loan/lien information, who holds them and if there are any death provisions.
  • Social Security and Medicare numbers.
  • Military history, affiliations and papers (including discharge papers).
  • Up-to-date Will in a safe place (inform family where the Will is located).
  • Living Will or other Advanced Directives appropriate to your state of residence.
  • Durable Power of Attorney.
  • Instructions for funeral services and burial (if arrangements have been secured, name and location of funeral home).

Happy Thanksgiving and may the easy lessons be yours.

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Channel 5 News Report on Telehealth

WCVB-TV News (Channel 5, Boston) recently reported on a telehealth program run by the VA and a local veterans hospital. The story highlights a 50 percent reduction in hospitalization rates and a 38 percent reduction in bed days for veterans signed up with the remote monitoring technology program, which helps keep patients independent and in their homes.

Recognizing the potential of this technology for cost efficiency and improvement in quality of care, the Home Care Alliance has submitted legislation in collaboration with State Senator Harriette Chandler that would establish telehealth as a reimbursable service through Medicaid.

Many states have already taken this step as the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services allow telehealth to be included as a state service receiving federal matching funds and has the billing and cost infrastructure in place in terms of code definitions and procedures. The VA and other entities in Massachusetts offer telehealth services, but it is not federally reimbursed. For more on this subject, search the term “telehealth legislation” in our blog.

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New Study on Insuring Direct-Care Workers

The Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute (PHI) released a report, prepared in collaboration with Tufts University Department of Health and Family Medicine, on the impact of Massachusetts health care reform on direct-care workers.

The report offers three main conclusions:

  1. The employer-based health insurance system is not meeting the needs of employers or their direct-care staff, largely because the current price of private health insurance in Massachusetts is prohibitive for many employers and their workers.
  2. As a result, public and publicly subsidized insurance programs are essential to this sector.
  3. Reform measures appear to have strengthened subsidized options for both employers and direct-care staff. However, access to these options is far from seamless, sometimes leading to “perverse” employment outcomes. For example, to qualify for MassHealth or Commonwealth Care workers often reduce their hours worked. Similarly, employers may limit eligibility for health benefits to those who work full-time, but then offer employees only part-time hours. These disincentives to work are particularly problematic for the home care industry, which is one of the Commonwealth’s fastest-growing employment sectors.

For more information, read the PHI report here.

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Alliance Members Win Globe Award

Alliance members Community Nurse and Hospice Care, Inc of Fairhaven and Aviv Centers For Living were named to the Boston Globe’s list of  “Top 100 Places to Work” in Massachusetts.  Award winners were selected from 1,000 potential employers, 86,000 employee surveys and a measurement process that examined direction, management, working conditions, pay and benefits,  and career opportunities.  Aviv Centers, located in Swampscott,  provides a continuum of long term care services that includes private home care services.  Community  Nurse provides home health services across Southeastern Mass.  Also included were home care parent companies Winchester Hospital,  Hallmark Health Systems and Partners Health Care and Alliance Allied members Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Benchmark Assisted Living.

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Home Health Agency is Finalist for BCBS of MA Quality Award

Visiting Nurse Association of Middlesex-East and Visiting Nurse Hospice was honored as a finalist  for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ Annual Health Care Excellence Award.  The VNA was recognized for reducing its re-hospitalization rate from 29% to 17% within two years – the lowest in the state – despite caring for an aging population that increasingly struggles with chronic conditions such as stroke, diabetes, emphysema, heart disease, and hypertension. This accomplishment has significantly reduced health care costs while improving the quality of life for their patients.

Also recognized as a finalist was EMC Corporation, an international leader in Information Infrastructure solutions.   EMC was recognized for its Partners in Health program, which successfully engaged its workforce and their families in learning how individual behaviors, choices and attitudes influence overall health and  health care expenditures, waste and outcomes.

This year’s award winner was Health & Education Services, Inc. (HES), a community-based behavioral health care network in northeastern Massachusetts. HEIS was selected for exceptional achievement in improving the safety and effectiveness of health care in Massachusetts through its Health Access and Integration Program (HAIP).

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Overview of Public Option Proposals in Health Reform

With a renewed focus on the inclusion of the public option in national health reform efforts, CNN.com offers an overview that compares general proposals relative to government-operated health insurance.

See CNN.com’s “Public Option Fuels Debate” here.

To read more on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s plan and reaction to it, check these stories by:

The Associated Press, MSNBC, and the New York Times Politics Blog

 

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VNA of Boston Names New President-CEO

The following is an announcement from the Visiting Nurse Association of Boston:

VISITING NURSE ASSOCIATION OF BOSTON & AFFILIATES NAMES NEW PRESIDENT & CEO
Reynold G. Spadoni to Lead the Nation’s Oldest Home Healthcare Organization

BOSTON — The Visiting Nurse Association of Boston & Affiliates (VNAB), the oldest home healthcare organization in the country and one of the largest in New England has recently named Reynold G. Spadoni as President and Chief Executive Officer.

John Murphy, Chairman of the VNAB’s board of directors, expressed confidence in Spadoni’s ability to lead the agency’s comprehensive home health programs.

“Rey has extensive experience in the health care arena, including several leadership positions in public health, managed care, community health centers and hospitals.” said Murphy, “Rey is a highly respected leader with a strong sense of mission and ethics. He has demonstrated a keen eye for expanding programs and creating new opportunities while maintaining focus on quality patient care.  I know that the organization, our patients, their families and the community will benefit from his tremendous skills.”

“I’m extremely pleased and honored to join an organization with such a rich history of serving patients and families throughout Eastern Massachusetts.” said Spadoni, “VNAB’s mission, track record and exceptional staff are compelling and vital during this time of great change in our industry and I’m thrilled to have been given this opportunity.”

Spadoni joins the organization from his role as Vice President of Operations and Development at Atrius Health/Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates.

Spadoni has a career that spans more than 25 years working in various leadership roles in the health care industry. He previously held senior management positions at Quincy Medical Center, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Dimock Community Health Center, Ernst and Young and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.

In his new role, Spadoni assumes overall responsibility for administration of the Visiting Nurse Association of Boston & Affiliates, which includes end-of-life support through VNA Hospice Care and private pay services through VNA Private Care.

The VNAB is one of the largest home healthcare agencies in New England with more than 500 employees and an operating budget of $44 million.  In 2008, it provided 250,000 home care visits to more than 12,000 patients.  Spadoni has a B.A. from Holy Cross College and an M.B.A. from Boston University.

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Boston Globe Letter to the Editor: PCA Oversight Bears Addressing

For the second time in a year, the Boston Globe has reported on fraud and abuse uncovered in the personal care attendant program based on a study by the state auditor’s office.

In a letter to the editor, the Home Care Alliance chose to reiterate a point in the article for readers that personal care attendants (PCA’s) are not subject to background checks and certification requirements as home health aides and visiting nurses. The prior article blurred the line between the two categories of workers, to which the Alliance had also taken action by submitting a letter to the Globe.

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Senate Finance Committee Passes Health Reform Plan

CNN.com is reporting that the Senate Finance Committee has voted 14-9 in favor of a plan that would bring coverage to an estimated 29 million Americans at a projected cost of $829 billion over ten years. See the CNN story here.

Maine Republican Senator Olympia Snowe crossed party lines to lend her support to the committee’s proposal and, in doing so, was the only Republican to vote in favor.

Other similar stories appeared in:

New York Times: Senate Panel Clears Health Bill with One GOP Vote.

FOX News: Health Care Reform Clears Final Senate Panel

USA Today: Health Care Bill Passes Senate Panel

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