home infusion

A New Opportunity to Expand into Home Infusion Therapy

When was the last time you looked at HIT accreditation?

In January, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) added the home infusion therapy benefit to the Medicare Part B lineup of treatments. But since the use of the Home Infusion Therapy (HIT) service has remained low, the National Home Infusion Association pushing … Read More >>>

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Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting

Did you see the proposed rule the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued in early September for Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting?

The proposed rule “seeks to establish comprehensive nurse staffing requirements to hold nursing homes accountable for providing safe and high-quality care for … Read More >>>

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Visit Verification Brings Benefits Beyond Compliance

The 21st Century Cures Act is a United States law enacted by the 114th United States Congress in December 2016. The Act “is designed to help accelerate medical product development and bring new innovations and advances to patients who need them faster and more efficiently” and it “builds on FDA’s ongoing work to incorporate the … Read More >>>

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CMS Allows Extension of Some PHE HCBS Flexibilities

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released updated guidance to extend COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) flexibilities approved in the states’ section 1915(c) home- and community-based services (HCBS) waiver Appendix K amendments.

These flexibilities were originally set to expire six months after the expiration of the PHE. But CMS has determined that … Read More >>>

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CMS Guidance on Unannounced Surveys

On June 19, 2023, CMS sent out updated guidance to Accreditation Organizations (AOs) regarding unannounced surveys, blackout dates, and the complaint process. If not already in place, these changes to the AOs processes must be implemented by July 14, 2023:

“In accordance with both §488.5(a)(4)(i), which requires unannounced surveys, as well as our long-standing instructions in Chapter 2 … Read More >>>

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Electronic Visit Verification: What Personal Care Services and Home Health Care Services Providers Need to Know

Back in April 2022, the HHS Office of the Inspector General (OIG) issued an OIG Work Plan update stating that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will undertake an audit into how states implement their electronic visit verification (EVV) systems for Medicaid personal care services (PCS) and home health care services (HHCS).

The … Read More >>>

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Why more long-term care operators are being nudged

There is a continuing debate in long-term care about whether future success is in healthcare-focused (upstream) or service-focused (downstream) services.

The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care recently released results from their survey that asked about acuity levels among new residents. The overwhelming response from skilled care, assisted living and independent living operators … Read More >>>

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HHS Extends American Rescue Plan Spending Deadline for States to Expand and Enhance Home- and Community-Based Services for People with Medicaid

On June 3, 2022 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), notified states that they now have until March 31, 2025 to use the funding previously made available by the American Rescue Plan (ARP).  States originally had a three-year period — from April 1, … Read More >>>