Hello, everyone!
Here are some home health related updates for this week:
AMITY’S NEWS
Amity Healthcare Group is excited to announce a recent approval by CDPHE as a provider of home health/home care Administrator/Manager Training and Education.
Please follow our weekly email for additional announcements or call 303-690-2749 for additional questions.
Next available CNA/HHA is Thursday, February 4, 2021, and Tuesday, February 9, 2021, and Skilled Nursing Competency on Tuesday, February 16, 2021.
If you would like to register your Skilled Nurses and/or HHAs/CNAs for a competency, please follow the links below:
Skilled Nursing Competency: https://amityhealthcaregroup.com/services/nursing-competencies/
HHA/CNA Competency: https://amityhealthcaregroup.com/services/cna-hha-competency/
Let Amity Healthcare Group to assist you with staying compliant with competency and ongoing training/continued education requirements in a worry-free manner.
For more information, please call 303-690-2749 or email: ig@amityhealthcaregroup.com
NATIONAL NEWS
ACHC Updates Home Health Standards
Attention providers accredited by ACHC: ACHC is publishing updated Home Health Accreditation Standards on February 1, 2021. Full program standards, with all revisions, can be downloaded from Customer Central beginning February 1.
For a Standards Update Guide, please see attached.
Public Health Emergency Extension
As you know, the current public health emergency (PHE) was renewed effective January 21, 2021, and will be in effect for 90 days. However, earlier this week, US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that PHE will likely remain in place for the entirety of 2021. HHS also stated that when a decision is made to terminate the declaration of PHE or let it expire, HHS will provide states with 60 days’ notice prior to termination.
Unless otherwise notified, an extension of the PHE declaration allows for continuity of emergency and waiver policies and flexibilities that have been put in place in 2020.
OIG Adds 2 Home Health Items to Work Plan
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has announced two new items of interest:
- Audit of home health telehealth services during the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE)
- OIG plans to evaluate home health services provided by agencies during the COVID-19 public health emergency to determine which types of skilled services were furnished via telehealth, and whether those services were administered and billed in accordance with Medicare requirements. Any services that were improperly billed will be reported as overpayments. OIG will also use the collected data to make recommendations to CMS. This report is expected to be delivered during FY2021.
- Report on the challenges faced by home health agencies in responding to the PHE and the strategies used to respond.
- The report will be based on a nationwide study in hopes to collect insights into the strategies HHAs have used to address the challenges presented by COVID-19, including how well their emergency preparedness plans served them during the COVID-19 pandemic. This report is expected to be delivered during FY2022.
COLORADO NEWS
Rocky Mountain Human Services Provider Meeting-Date Change
Rocky Mountain Human Services (RMHS) Single Entry Point Provider Meeting that was originally scheduled for today Friday, January 29th, 2021 at 1:00 PM has been rescheduled for Friday, February, 12 at 2 p.m. (2 pm to 3 pm) During the meeting, RMHS will provide case management and intake updates and have an open forum for questions and feedback.
You will be able to join the meeting via Microsoft Teams meeting
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 720-372-0556
Phone Conference ID:
490 790 439#
Extension of Senate Bill 19-238 Reporting
The deadline to download the Senate Bill (SB) 19-238 system-generated reimbursement reports has been extended to February 6, 2021.
The Provider Web Portal was updated to re-open access to the Reporting Tool.
For instruction on using the Senate Bill 19-238 Reporting Tool, refer to HCPF Informational Memo (IM) 20-054.
Plan to Replace eQHealth
The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) has announced the intent to award the Utilization Management (UM) contract to Keystone Peer Review Organization (KEPRO). Kepro will replace eQHealth Solutions, Inc as to the UM Vendor in the Spring of 2021. The go-live date for Kepro has not yet been finalized, and additional announcements will be posted on the HCPF website and sent out via Provider Bulletin.
Amity’s Friday emails (newsletters) will be archived on Amity’s Healthcare Group website at https://amityhealthcaregroup.com/resources/ under Weekly Newsletter section.
Please do not hesitate to reach out for any assistance or questions via email, phone or website at https://amityhealthcaregroup.com/resources/
If you wish to forward this email to your colleague or friend, please feel free to do so. If you received this message as a forward, we invite you to subscribe to our communications at https://amityhealthcaregroup.com/ (look for “Subscribe to Listserv” in the top corner). If you wish to unsubscribe from this email distribution list, please email to eg@amityhealthcaregroup.com
Thank you,
Irina Gorovaya, RN BSN, MBA
Amity Healthcare Group, LLC
Home Health Consulting, Education and Outsourcing Services
720-353-7249 (cell) 303-690-2749 (office) 720-398-6200 (fax)
