Plus: TEP mulls adding equity points, like in SNF VBP. The New Year brings new Value-Based Purchasing homework for diligent home health agencies. For example: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued a new set of VBP Frequently Asked Questions, with seven new and 11 updated FAQs. New questions tackle the recent home health final rule and interim performance reports (IPRs), among other topics. One provider asks how soon it will receive data for the 2025 performance year. “To help provide feedback to HHAs on the quality measure set for the calendar year (CY) 2025 performance year, CMS plans to make the most current HHA-specific performance data for the applicable measures, including the achievement thresholds and benchmarks, available to each HHA in iQIES,” CMS says. “This information will be available before the start of the CY 2025 performance year, as soon as administratively possible,” according to Q7003. The 73-page FAQ set is at www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation/media/document/hhvbp-exp-faqs. Another example: CMS “has released the expanded Home Heath Value-Based Purchasing Technical Expert Panel (TEP) Report,” CMS says in a Dec. 29 message to providers. “This report provides a summary of the TEP’s input on health equity approaches, performance measures, measure weights, and performance reporting,” the agency explains. The VBP TEP discussed “refinements to the expanded HHVBP Model … designed to reduce differences in health outcomes for beneficiaries who are disadvantaged or underserved,” the 24-page report says. In particular, the experts mulled changes similar to the Health Equity Adjustment (HEA) that will begin in the Skilled Nursing Facility VBP starting with the fiscal year 2027 program year, the report notes. “Under the HEA, providers could receive HEA bonus points that are added to the Total Performance Score (TPS) depending on their performance level and share of dually eligible beneficiaries,” explains the report at www.cms.gov/files/document/hhvbp-exp-tech-exp-panel-rpt.pdf. Finally, for agencies trying to obtain help regarding VBP, there’s a new email to use. As of Dec. 18, 2023, the HHVBP Model Help Desk email address is now HHVBPquestions@cms.hhs.gov, CMS says in a message to providers. Formerly the address was HHVBPquestions@lewin.com. “Be sure to include your name, the HHA’s name, and the CMS Certification Number (CCN)” with any queries to the Help Desk, CMS reminds.