Home Health & Hospice Week
New HHS Antidiscrimination Rule May Encourage Home Health Use
The Department of Health and Human Services is taking aim at discrimination in health care with a new proposed rule, and it could lead to more home care. The HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued a proposed rule, Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance, which “prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability,” HHS says in a release. Among its provisions, the rule “clarifies obligations to provide services in the most integrated setting appropriate to the needs of individuals with disabilities,” HHS notes. “The COVID-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on the discrimination that too many people with disabilities continue to face” including “having no choice but to receive services in institutional settings,” Alison Barkoff, who leads the Administration for Community Living, says in the HHS release. “It’s 2023, yet for many Americans accessing basic health needs is still challenging,” says HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in the release. “This historic proposed rule will advance justice for people with disabilities and help ensure they are not subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving funding from HHS just because they have a disability.” The rule also clarifies obligations for web and mobile accessibility and establishes enforceable standards for accessible medical equipment, among other changes, HHS adds. The 121-page rule published in the Sept. 14 Federal Register is at www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-09-14/ pdf/2023-19149.pdf. Comments are due Nov. 13.
Home Health & Hospice Week
- Oasis:
HHAs Called On The Carpet For Seriously Underreporting Falls
Watch out: Extremely low falls QM figures may become a red flag. Providers self-reporting quality [...] - Quality:
These OASIS-Based Quality Measures May Be Next To Draw Feds’ Ire
Will your data for the OASIS items feeding into these measures hold up? The 11 [...] - Assessment:
Brace For Stepped-Up Scrutiny Of OASIS Reporting
Surveys may become much more focused on OASIS compliance. The HHS Office of Inspector General [...] - Studies & Surveys:
Hospice Reduces Medicare Costs, Even For Dementia Patients, Study Says
Plus: Two more recent studies address health equity issues. Law- and policymakers need to take [...] - Overpayments:
Take Some Steps Now, Some Later For Overpayment Compliance In Light Of 60-Day Rule
Be ready to run with the new regs. What can home health and hospice agencies [...] - Mergers & Acquisitions:
2 Nonprofit Florida Hospices Plan To Join Forces
Plus: Amedisys-UnitedHealth deal clears next hurdle. Empath Health and Trustbridge are beginning the process of [...] - Industry Notes:
Step Up For TEP Activity In HH, Hospice
Quality measures, Value-Based Purchasing opportunities available. If home health and hospice providers want the feds [...] - Industry Notes:
Get Comfortable In Your Assigned VBP Cohort, At Least For The Next Year
If you have questions about the Value-Based Purchasing program, a new question-and-answer document may have [...] - Industry Notes:
Submit Your Provider Relief Fund Report By Sept. 30 Or Pay Back Affected Funds
The COVID-19 public health emergency is getting farther and farther back in the rearview mirror, [...] - Industry Notes:
Recoupments To Hit Hospitals For DRG Payments That Were Supposed To Be Prorated For Home Health DCs
You may notice a chilling effect on hospital discharges to home health, following a new [...] - Industry Notes:
New HHS Antidiscrimination Rule May Encourage Home Health Use
The Department of Health and Human Services is taking aim at discrimination in health care [...]
