Medicare Compliance & Reimbursement

Home Care:

Trainee Services Don't Qualify For Medicare Payment

Home health aide trainees' skills don't have to be wasted, but they won't directly add to home health agencies' bottom lines either.

HHAs may train aides in the home setting, but the trainee's services won't qualify for Medicare payment, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has told the National Association for Home Care & Hospice in a letter responding to questions on the issue. Aides also can be trained in the nursing home setting, CMS adds. Aides must complete at least 16 hours of classroom training before hands-on training can begin.

A registered nurse or licensed practical nurse must supervise aide-training in the home one-on-one, CMS says. Supervising nurses must meet certain requirements.

Competency training in the home is allowed as well, CMS explains. But again, such services aren't billable to Medicare.

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