Humana Moves Forward with Kindred Purchase and Walmart is Interested
Humana has been allowed to move forward with the ability to purchase a 40% stake in Kindred at Home. The insurer also has the first right to purchase the additional …
Home Health Targeted Probe and Educate
As many agencies are aware and undergoing, CMS has implemented a Targeted Probe and Educate program. Aside from the obvious jokes about being probed by Medicare and feeling uncomfortable, the …
Home Health Agency Appeals ZPIC & Wins
Home health agencies know that overzealous survey and fraud programs can do more harm than good. A Texas agency knows this all too well. Family Rehabilitation Inc. located in Texas …
MedPac: Home Health Margins Too High!
Does MedPac really understand home health? From their latest report to Congress it is safe to assume that their understanding stops at the basics. Their financial understanding of how well …
Define Healthcare Fraud and Abuse
We often hear about agencies or clinicians committing fraud or partaking in abuse. But what are the clear definitions of fraud and abuse? The new Conditions of Participation (COPs) when …
Do physicians really read orders and info sent to them?
A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine shed some interesting light on, and evidence of what many in home health have always thought occurred but didn’t have tangible …
Surveys: Supplying Patient Lists Could be a Thing of the Past
A recent Inspector General’s (IG) report outlines the biggest and sometimes most conflicting item provided during a survey: the patient list. Agencies typically provide a list of all patients or …
Therapy Caps Lifted…Home Health Grouper Model Alive, Again
Nursing homes and outpatient providers are rejoicing at the news that Congress has rescinded caps on how much therapy could be performed without significant hurdles. Congress made the change in …
Medicare Advantage Plans Add Non-Skilled Services
Starting in 2019, agencies should expect more Medicare beneficiaries shift to Medicare advantage plans. CMS has released information that Medicare Advantage plans can now start to provide non-skilled services as …
Self Referrals in Health Systems Challenged
Hospitals with their own home health agencies could face some new pressure. Most home health agencies have experienced an issue with receiving quality referrals at one time or another. For …