Home Health & Hospice Week
More Rural Hospitals Cut Their Home Health Programs
Two more hospitals, both in California, are shutting down their home health business lines. In Arcata, the Mad River Community Hospital Board accepted management’s proposal to shut down its home health agency. “Rural hospitals throughout California are financially struggling in the aftermath of the pandemic, and Mad River is no different,” Mad River CEO Doug Shaw says in a release. “Costs are at an all-time high, while patient volumes have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels and reimbursement rates have failed to keep up with inflation over the last 10 years.” Shaw cited Hazel Hawkins Memorial Hospital’s closure of its San Benito Home Health Agency in Hollister last month as another example of a Californian rural hospital suspending its HHA (see details of that closure in HHHW by AAPC, Vol. XXXII, No. 4). In Oroville, Golden Valley Home Health is being shuttered by its parent, Oroville Hospital, reports the Enterprise- Record newspaper. In contrast to Mad River, the hospital made no public announcement about the shutdown and employees weren’t sure whether they were being transferred or laid off, according to the newspaper. Employees reportedly were told the unit was being suspended because it was not profitable. Golden Valley served some areas not covered by any other HHAs, employees told the Enterprise-Record.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Covid-19:
Feds Walk Further Down Path Of Ending PHE
You should already be engaging in your wind-down process, experts say. The clock is ticking [...] - Reimbursement:
Telehealth Claims Glitch Hampers Intro Of New Reporting Component
Plus: U5210/U5220, RCD exclusions, and ongoing 31755 problems burden HHAs — and their cash flow. [...] - Fraud & Abuse:
HH, Hospice Owners Draw Lengthy Prison Sentences For Fraud
From 25 months to 10 years, owners are paying big. The owner of a licensed [...] - Compliance:
Authorities Crack Down On Financial Scammers
And any PHI breaches from novice billing contractors are on you, MAC stresses. Fraudsters looking [...] - Managed Care:
Medicare Scales Back Managed Care Organizations’ Pay Raise
Hurry: You only have a few weeks to comment. If you feel like Medicare Advantage [...] - Industry Notes:
HHS Secretary Praises Home Health
But praise needs to come with reimbursement, industry advocates point out. A top Biden administration [...] - Industry Notes:
Medicare Schedules Home Health Webinar For March 29
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may be responding to home health agencies’ frustration [...] - Industry Notes:
Hospice Industry Reps Meet With CMS Administrator Over Program Integrity Concerns
Representatives for hospice providers are hoping their Feb. 15 face-to-face meeting with the head of [...] - Industry Notes:
OSHA Readies Workplace Safety Rule For Healthcare, Including HH
If you have thoughts on how the Occupational Safety and Health Administration should regulate workplace [...] - Industry Notes:
CMS Wants Candid Feedback On VBP Training So Far
You now have a chance to give CMS a piece of your mind about how [...] - Industry Notes:
Get Preview Of Care Compare Stats For Next Time
The latest Care Compare data refresh for hospices is live, and you can already get [...] - Industry Notes:
More Rural Hospitals Cut Their Home Health Programs
Two more hospitals, both in California, are shutting down their home health business lines. In [...] - Industry Notes:
CMS Shoots For Ownership Transparency
Don’t be surprised to see a push to make ownership and management of home health [...]
