Category: News & Media

Guest Post: Making the MOLST of Your Life

By: Jeanne M. Ryan, MA, OTR, MBA, CHCE
Executive Director VNA & Hospice of Cooley Dickinson

According to the Massachusetts Expert Panel on End-of-Life Care:

“What people want and need as the end of life approaches are things that have mattered to them throughout life, often now more intensely then ever: that their wishes and values are respected, that their symptoms are well controlled; that their dignity is maintained; and that they can spend as much meaningful time as possible with those they most love”.

And while 70 percent of Americans say they wish to die at home, surrounded by family, in Massachusetts the reality is exactly reversed: More than 70 percent die in hospitals or nursing homes, often spending their last days or weeks attached to high-tech life support machines. The choices that patients and their families make about care at this stage of life are extremely personal, but can only be made well if the full range of options is presented, explored, and considered with each patient individually. Continue reading “Guest Post: Making the MOLST of Your Life”

HCA Statement on Indictment of Waltham Home Health Agency Owner

Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts Decries Fraud Renews Call for Stricter Oversight or New Agencies, Moratorium

Boston, MA – The arrest on September 16th of the owner/proprietor of a Massachusetts home health agency on charges of defrauding the federal Medicare program should be seen as a wake-up call to federal and state officials that unlimited expansion of home health agencies is threat to the Medicare program and its beneficiaries.  The Home Care Alliance applauds the efforts of the federal Office of the Inspector General in identifying the aberrant behavior of this agency and reiterates its call for the federal government to do more to target abusive agencies.

“Home health agencies in Massachusetts work hard to comply with all federal and state rules and are an integral part of building a more patient centric, cost effective health care system,” said Patricia Kelleher, Executive Director of the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts, a trade association for more than 190 Medicare certified and private pay home care agencies.  “We have been calling for more directive enforcement efforts aimed at outlier agencies, as opposed to blanket enforcement that burdens the high quality, highly ethical providers.

The Home Care Alliance has met with staff at CMS regularly over the past four years urging that there be: 1) More active enforcement of existing Medicare program rules, and 2) A more rigorous set of rules for entry into the industry in order reduce the growth of unqualified agencies.

The Alliance wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebellius in 2011 and 2012 urging her to immediately place a moratorium on the enrollment of new home health providers into the Medicare program. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) also made this recommendation in their March 2011 report to Congress, and the Secretary was granted the authority by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to suspend payments to providers or establish a moratorium on new provider enrollment.

The Alliance has also filed state legislation to require any new agency to file and be granted a state “certificate of need” before applying for federal Medicare certification.

“The home health agencies in Massachusetts have worked hard to gain the trust of patients and families, as well as our physician and hospital partners,” said Beverly Pavasaris, President of the Home Care Alliance and Executive Director of the Brockton VNA. “Agencies such as mine, with more than 100 years of proving home based care, will not sit idly and let our good work and reputation be damaged by individuals intent on committing fraud.” Continue reading “HCA Statement on Indictment of Waltham Home Health Agency Owner”

Home Care & Telemedicine

NPR’s Talk of the Nation had a lengthy segment on the growing use of telemedicine, especially in home care.  In addition discussing the benefits to patients with limited mobility or access to specific services they need and Medicare’s current refusal to reimburse for remote doctor consultations, the segment included a letter from the Alliance’s own James Fuccione, starting at 19’09”:

[HOST NEAL] CONAN: Here’s an email question that has some aspects of that that I wanted to ask you about, this from James [Fuccione] in Massachusetts: The Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts is advocating for Mass Health, [the] state Medicaid program, reimbursement of telehealth used by home health agencies.

Many agencies part of our association use telehealth already because it improves their quality and efficiency. They use wireless weight scales, blood oximeter, blood pressure cuffs, et cetera, and depending on their condition. So in other words you can collect data over these same circuits.

[DR. KAREN] EDISON: Right.

CONAN: Do you use that as well?

EDISON: Yes, so we do a lot of telehome care and remote monitoring here in Missouri. One of our large home health agencies in the southwest part of the state is probably the leader in that area. One of the challenges, of course, is the inter-operability of the health information systems. So as health information technology matures, and the companies become more inter-operable, they can talk to each other and transmit information easily.

You know, as that gets – as that whole industry matures, this is going to get easier and easier so that instead of the home health agency monitoring those patients, actually the patients – patient-centered health care home or medical home, their actual health providers would be monitoring those patients on a daily basis.

You may download the entire show by clicking here.

US HHS Releases Data on What Hospitals Charge

The federal office of Health and Human Services and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have released data on what hospitals across the nation charge for the 100 most common Medicare inpatient stays.  Hospitals determine what they will charge for items and services provided to patients and these “charges” are the amount the hospital generally bills for an item or service.

The variance in what hospitals charge both regionally and by procedure is apparent and is already the subject of a story in the New York Times.A press release by HHS highlights the fact that, even within the same geographic area, prices can vary dramatically. For example, the average inpatient hospital charges for services that may be provided to treat heart failure range from a low of $21,000 to a high of $46,000 in Denver, Colo., and from a low of $9,000 to a high of $51,000 in Jackson, Miss.

The Home Care Alliance isolated the state-specific data for Massachusetts here.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org

HCA Celebrates National Nurses Week

The Home Care Alliance is proud to join associations and medical providers from across the state and country in celebrating National Nurses Week.

Every year on May 6-12, National Nurses Week raises awareness of the value of nursing and the hard work performed everyday by nurses in all health care settings. In particular, the Home Care Alliance thanks the nurses working in home health care – along with the therapists, social workers, aides and other staff that are part of the care team with nurses – to ensure that people can remain at home for as long as possible.

Recently, the Home Care Alliance held the annual Home Care Innovations Showcase and Star Awards where the association recognized Patricia Darling from the Visiting Nurse Association of Boston and Shirley Lucier of VNA Care Network  with HCA’s “Clinician of the Year” awards. Many of the Innovation Awards to home health agencies recognized forward-thinking practices or policies that involved nurses as a vital component.

For those looking to join in recognizing nurses, the American Nurses Association hosts a special National Nurses Week website with resources and reports on the nursing profession and how to celebrate.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Congratulations to the 2013 Star Award Winners

Each year, the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts honors the best and brightest in caregiving and home care management. This video of the 2013 winners played at our award ceremony on May 1, 2013.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Best Around the Home Care Web V

Healing After the Bombings

Victims of the Boston Marathon Bombing have a lengthy road to recovery:

Cost of amputating a leg? At least $20,000. Cost of an artificial leg? More than $50,000 for the most high-tech models. Cost of an amputee’s rehab? Often tens of thousands of dollars more.

These are just a fraction of the medical expenses victims of the Boston Marathon bombing will face.

The mammoth price tag is probably not what patients are focusing on as they begin the long healing process. But friends and strangers are already setting up fundraisers and online crowd-funding sites, and a huge Boston city fund has already collected more than $23 million in individual and corporate donations. — via Winnipeg Free Press

The piece also discusses how a number of state and local charities have created funds to help pay for the hospital bills, prosthetics, and rehabilitation.  Dozens of home care agencies have also donated their services to the victims.

Still Open: 2013 State of the Home Care Industry Study

The National State of the Home Care Industry survey is conducted through 20 minutes phone interviews with senior managers scheduled at times that are convenient for you. It will address current practices and future strategies in the areas of IS/EHR, telehealth, new health care models and operations.

Participating agencies will be among the first to receive in-depth reports plus strategic recommendations from the findings. The results will also include insights into what practices the top agencies, those with the best financial and quality outcomes, are using and planning.

The Study is sponsored by NAHC, CHAP, The Joint Commission, the Forum of State Associations, Delta Health Technologies, HealthWyse and Fazzi Associates. Results are expected to be released in late May or early June of this year. — via HCAF.

The survey is open to all Medicare Certified agencies with revenue >$500,000, and at least two Home Health Compare scores.

Continue reading “Best Around the Home Care Web V”

Home Care Agencies Donate Services to Boston Marathon Bombing Victims

BostonStrongRibbon.jpgHome care agencies are pitching in to help those injured in the Boston Marathon bombing by donating personal care services to victims whenever they are discharged from the city’s hospitals.

The Home Care Alliance is coordinating the volunteer effort that currently includes 55 agencies collectively providing coverage to the entire state. So, no matter where in

Massachusetts one of the affected people may live, an agency stands ready to help their transition back home.

The Home Care Alliance has notified all Boston hospitals and has provided the list of agencies donating services to staff at those facilities. Many have already been discharged from hospitals and the Alliance hopes that those people can also be aware that they have access to these donated services as well.

A special webpage listing the volunteer agencies has been set up and anyone hurt by the Marathon bombing that can benefit from free personal care can contact these agencies, but HCA also encourages hospitals to make the list available to patients as well.

The Home Care Alliance and its member agencies are proud to help those affected through a difficult time and hope they can take advantage of the compassionate care provided by agencies across the state.

Any hospitals or families impacted by the events of this past week can contact the Home Care Alliance for further details.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Best Around the Home Care Web IV

Each week, the Alliance scours the blogosphere for the news affecting — and of interest to — the home care industry.  Here are highlights from this week:

How Home Care Helped Save the Day During Hurricane Sandy

Rosita Ortiz, RN of the VNSNY on how home care saved the day during last year’s storm:

What Happens If A Client’s Power of Attorney Designee… Becomes Incompetent?

Making end of life wishes clear is crucial, both for each individual and their family members. It’s also vital to designate who will look out for your interests and desires when the time comes to assure your wishes are honored…

Fast forward five to ten years (or more) in the future and the holder of the power of attorney, the one charged with seeing that your senior loved one’s final wishes are followed, is now incompetent to carry out that role and may even be causing trouble due to their incompetence. — via Senior Care Corner.

NAHC Still Accepting Nurse Recognition Nominations

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice has extended the deadline to submit nominations to the Nurse Recognition Program to Monday, April 15, 2013. Each of the 50 state winners will receive a free registration to the NAHC Annual Meeting & Exposition in Washington, DC, and will be featured in the May issue of CARING. —  Via, HCAF

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”