Home Health & Hospice Week

Accessibility is required under the law, CoPs.

Take to heart some CMS comments about providing virtual visits to patients with disabilities, or you may face problems down the line.

In the home health payment final rule for 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services gives its blessing to HHAs furnishing visits via telecommunications technology (see story, p. 330). But it also cautions providers on their respon­sibilities in doing so.

“Access to telecommunications technology must be accessible, including for patients with disabilities,” CMS emphasizes in the final rule. Multiple federal laws protect qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination and “the home health CoPs at § 484.50(f)(1) require that information be provided to persons with disabilities in plain language and in a manner that is accessible and timely, including accessible websites and the provision of auxiliary aids and services at no cost to the individual.”

“This means that the HHA must meet these requirements to ensure access to and use of telecommunications as required by law,” CMS concludes.

“Often the demographics in home health have vision or hearing impairments, to name a couple,” points out Sherri Parson with consulting firm QIRT, which has been acquired by McBee. Agencies may “struggle with the telehealth tech suppliers with making sure that the telehealth services are available to all patients and inclusive of those with disabilities.”