Four Reasons to Choose An Agency Over A Direct Hire

This month, the Alliance is mailing nearly 5,000 copies of its latest publication, 4 Reasons to Choose An Agency Over A Direct Hire to every Council on Aging (COA) and Aging Access Service Point (ASAP) in the state.  Additionally, packages of up to 50 copies of the brochure are available on the Alliance’s website at no charge.

This postcard-sized brochure is professionally printed on heavy card stock and is intended for families uncertain why they should choose an agency.  On the front, it describes four areas where home care agencies have a distinct advantage over direct hires; on the anterior, it provides a “Quality Home Care Checklist” to help visualize these benefits.

Front page Anterior side

The full text of the front page reads:

Why should your family work with a Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts member agency rather than hire an aide or nurse directly? Home care agencies provide significant benefits over direct hires in the areas that matter most to families:

    1. Employer Obligations: By hiring an aide or nurse directly, you take on the legal responsibilities of an employer, including paying payroll taxes, workers compensation, unemployment insurance, and liability. Working with a Home Care Agency alleviates you of these responsibilities.
    2. Peace of Mind: The only background checks that come with a direct hire are those you do yourself. Home Care Agencies, however, are required to conduct criminal background checks and have access to more comprehensive data than is available to the public.
    3. Security & Contingency: If your direct hire harms or steals from you, you’re on your own. In contrast, Home Care Agencies are required to carry various forms of insurance to protect you. Additionally, agencies can quickly provide a replacement if your aide or nurse is sick, injured, or changes jobs.
    4. Training & Supervision: You are responsible for training and supervising your direct hire. Home Care Agencies, however, have the experience, knowledge, and resources to ensure their workers are thoroughly trained in any services or tasks they perform, including safe infection control, falls prevention, emergency preparation, and personal care tasks.

How do you know an Agency is doing these things correctly? Don’t be afraid to ask them directly, or check to see if they’re a member of the Home Care Alliance of Massachusetts at http://www.thinkhomecare.org/agencies.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Therapy Questions and Answers – Revised December 2012

On December 14th CMS released revised Therapy Q&As that reflect the changes for the therapy reassessment requirement from the Final Rule 2013. The provisions in this final rule are effective for episodes ending on or after January 1, 2013, unless otherwise specified in the final rule. For episodes that begin in CY 2012 and end in CY 2013, the therapy provisions of this final rule do not apply. The therapy provisions of this final rule are applicable to episodes that begin on or after January 1, 2013.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

The Joint Commission Releases 2013 National Safety Goals

The Joint Commission recently released their 2013 Home Care National Patient Safety Goals. The goals were originally established in 2002 to help accredited healthcare organizations address patient safety concerns. The goals focus on problems in health care safety and how to solve them. They are developed and updated by the Patient Safety Advisory Group, made up of healthcare professionals with hands-on experience in addressing patient safety issues.

Home Care Safety Goals

  • Improve the accuracy of patient identification.
  • Improve the safety of using medications.
  • Reduce the risk of health care–associated infections.
  • Reduce the risk of patient harm resulting from falls.
  • The organization identifies safety risks inherent in its patient population.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Special ODF for Hospice Providers

CMS is hosting a Special Open Door Forum for all hospice providers on December 19 from 1-2 pm EST. The Special ODF will present information about the Hospice Quality Reporting Program

Agenda Topics will include:

  • Updates about the upcoming availability of the data submission website
  • Information about how to access the data submission website and create a user account
  • Details about the data submission process
  • Question and Answer session
The Participant Dial in is: 1-800-837-1935
The Conference ID: 81540883

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Hospice Quality Reporting WebEx Now Available –Posted 12/5/2012

CMS’ Hospice Quality Reporting Program (QRP) on data entry and submission WebEx training  is now available online.  Hospice providers can view the WebEx at their convenience; no registration is required. It will remain available until April 2013. The training will help hospices prepare for web-based data entry and submission of quality data affecting the FY 2014 reimbursement rates.

The Hospice QRP Data Entry and Submission WebEx addresses how to:

  • Access the Hospice Quality Reporting Program Data Entry and Submission link
  • Register your Hospice Provider and User Account
  • Navigate the Structural Measure data entry, attestation and submission
  • Navigate the NQF #0209 Pain Measure data entry, attestation and submission
  • Access Clinical and Technical Help Desk Support

To meet the hospice quality reporting requirements in order to qualify for full payment of Medicare rates in FY 2014, hospices must submit two measures: the Structural/QAPI measure and the NQF #0209 measure. Reporting of the structural measure may begin Jan. 1, 2013, and must be completed by Jan. 31, 2013, while reporting of data on the pain measure (NQF 0209) must be completed by April 1, 2013.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Northeast Leadership Summit – Boston, 2013

don berwick

Registration is now open for the Northeast Home Health Leadership Summit being held at The Colonnade Hotel from January 22 to 24.

This year’s lineup of speakers includes Dr. Bill Thomas, an international authority on geriatric medicine and eldercare, who is revolutionizing the concept of ‘aging’ as we conventionally think of it. His passion will bring new and eye-opening thoughts on how we should view people as they grow old.

The Summit is also pleased to have Dr. Don Berwick, M.D., former Administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, who will share his perspectives on the tremendous unrealized potential in health care delivery. Dr. Berwick will recommend how we can take part in shaping a system that satisfies our patients, using our limited resources intelligently, and continuing to support our mission of caring.

To further echo Dr. Berwick’s message, Mary Ann Christopher, President and CEO of the Visiting Nurse Service of New York, will share how home health leaders can play a leading role when it comes to transitions in care, quality of care and preventing re-hospitalizations as a vital partner to our community hospitals.

December 21 is the deadline to take advantage of early-bird pricing.  Full details are available at www.nehomehealthsummit.com, including registration and hotel information and an overview of this signature event, which is designed expressly for home health leaders. Register today!

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

Sign Up for Virtual Lobby Days: Dec 5-6

The home care community needs to be involved and present a unified message as lawmakers work to address the impending “fiscal cliff.” During the post election “lame duck” session, Congress will be grappling with how to reduce burgeoning deficits and offset the costs of fixing the flawed Medicare physician payment formula, among a host of other fiscal issues. Home health copayments and payment cuts have been proposed as a means of deficit reduction and offsetting the cost of the physician fix.

Copayments have been proposed by a number of key players in the budget debate.  Specifically:

  • The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform of 2010 (the “Bowles-Simpson plan”) recommended a uniform 20 percent copayment for all Medicare services. This would amount to a $600 copay to access an episode of Medicare home health care.
  • The Congressional Budget Office proposed a 10 percent home health copay as one of its budget options for deficit reduction, a proposal that received support from the Republican Study Committee.
  • The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has recommended a home health copay (as much as $150 per episode) for episodes not preceded by a hospital or nursing home stay.
  • The President’s September 2011 deficit reduction plan included a $100 home health copay for episodes not preceded by a hospital or nursing home stay, beginning in 2017 for newly eligible Medicare beneficiaries.  Further cuts in home health payments have also been proposed in these plans.

NAHC has scheduled a live and virtual “March on Washington” lobby day for December 5 and 6. The message to lawmakers is “Oppose Medicare home health copays and payment cuts.”

The Alliance will hold a free open conference call for members to review talking points and prepare for the virtual lobby days on Tuesday, December 4, at 3:00 p.m.  To register for this call, please email Stephanie Drakes.

We have stopped copays before, but the economic situation is dire and with the range of options on the table, the home health community needs to raise its voice collectively. Every advocacy group and every interest group will be weighing in, so remaining silent at such a critical time is not an option!

Alliance members can send a message using the NAHC Legislative Action Network (LAN).  Once you log onto the LAN, you can access talking points on home health copayments and get the Washington telephone numbers of your elected representatives.

Please encourage your colleagues, staff, friends, family and the families of your patients to visit the link above or call the office of your member of Congress and our Senators:

Sen. John Kerry – (202) 224-2742 / Boston office (617) 565-8519
Sen. Scott Brown – (202) 224-4543 / Boston office (617) 565-3170
Congressman Jim McGovern – (202) 225-6101 / Worcester office (508) 831-7356
Congressman John Tierney – (202) 225-8020 / Peabody office (978) 531-1669
Congresswoman Niki Tsongas (202) 225-3411 / Lowell Office (978) 459-0101
Congressman Ed Markey 202-225-2836 / Medford Office 781-396-2900
Congressman Mike Capuano (202) 225-5111 / Cambridge Office (617) 621-6208
Congressman Richard Neal (202) 225-5601 / Springfield office (413) 785-0325
Congressman John Olver (202) 225-5335 / Pittsfield Office (413)-442-0946
Congressman Stephen Lynch (202) 225-8273 / Boston office (617) 428-2000
Congressman Bill Keating (202) 225-3111 / Quincy Office (617) 770-3700

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

2013 Private Care Guides Available

The Alliance will begin shipping copies of its new 2013 Guide to Private Home Care Services next week.

The Guide is designed to educate clients and families about their private home care options and to help them choose from our 132 member agencies that accept private pay, including those who have completed our Agency Accreditation Program.  Contents include:

  • Introduction:
    • Understanding What Home Care Is;
    • Understanding the Agency Advantage (New!);
    • Assessing Your Needs;
    • Exploring Payment Options;
    • Knowing About Agency Accreditation;
    • Finding & Interviewing Agencies;
  • Agency Profiles of 132 Private Care Agencies
  • County-By-County Cross Reference

The Alliance will ship copies of the Guide to all members, as well as every hospital case management office, Aging Service Access Point (ASAP), Council on Aging (COA), Geriatric Care Manager (GCM), Veterans’ Center, and dozens of other referral sources. Additional copies are available for order on our website, as is a downloadable PDF version. Guides are always available free of charge with no shipping charges on copies of 50 or less.

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

CMS’ Open Door Forum-Encore recording

Did you miss CMS’ Open Door Forum (ODF) yesterday? You still have the ability to listen to the Encore recording by dialing 1-855-859-2056 and entering the Conference ID 72193272. The recording expires after 3 business days.

Agenda for ODF

I. Opening Remarks

II. Announcements & Updates

1. Open Enrollment Announcement

2. Flu Vaccination Announcement

3. Home Health PPS – Effective Date of Therapy Provisions

4. Incorrect Patient Status Codes on Hospice Claims

5. HHCAPS

6. DMEPOS Competitive Bidding

7. Update to OASIS web-based training at: http://surveyortraining.cms.hhs.gov, addition of module, OASIS C Online Training: Patient Tracking Domain

lII. Open Q&A

 **Mark your calendars**Next ODF: Wednesday, January 9, 2013**

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.

CMS Releases New MLN Article

On November 26th, CMS released the Medicare Learning Network  Article- (SE1237) Importance of Preparing/Maintaining Legible Medical Records. This article highlights the importance of legible documentation in avoiding claim denials. The key points highlighted:

  1. General Principles of Medical Record Documentation
  2. Medicare Signature requirements
  3. Amendments, Corrections and Delayed Entries

If you are looking for more facts on amendments, corrections and delayed entries see the Medicare Program Integrity Manual Section 3.3.2.5. The MLN article, Complying with Medicare Signature Requirements, provides a question and answer format for information on signature regulations

Return to www.thinkhomecare.org.