Here are some home health-related updates for this week:
AMITY’S NEWS
Meet us at Home Care Association of Florida 32nd Annual Conference
Amity Healthcare Group is excited to announce that we will be participating in Home Care Association of Florida 32nd Annual Conference & Trade Show that will be held in Orlando, Florida July 20-23, 2021.
If you are planning on attending this event, please take a minute and stop by booth #101 in the Exhibitor’s Hall July 21st and July 22nd. We will be looking forward to meeting you!
In addition, Irina Gorovaya will also be presenting on the topic of Practical Guide to Home Health Competency Program on July 22, 21 at 10 am ET in Meyer 2 Room.
Amity Healthcare Group Consulting Services
Amity Healthcare Group is providing continuous support to home health providers in the following areas:
- Medicare Certification/Accreditation Survey preparation
- Regulatory and clinical compliance review
- QAPI implementation and analysis
- Emergency Preparedness
If you need assistance with any of the above, please call us 303-690-2749 to schedule your 30-minute free consultation.
NATIONAL NEWS
Provider Relief Fund Reporting Requirements Update
On June 11, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released revised reporting requirements for the Provider Relief Fund. HHS also added flexibility for providers to spend funding if they received it after June 30, 2020.
Please see the table below for updated deadlines to use Provider Relief funds as well as an associated reporting period.
Please note that the reporting portal for providers will be opened on July 1, 2021.
Please also note that funding recipients must now also report for each payment received period when they received one or more payments over $10,000 (i.e. Recipients are required to report for each Payment Received Period in which they received one or more payments exceeding, in the aggregate, $10,000 (rather than $10,000 cumulatively across all Provider Relief Funds payments).
The reporting requirements do not apply to COVID-19 coverage assistance funds, the Rural Health Clinic COVID-19 Testing Program, or the HRSA uninsured program.
For a full Provider Relief Fund Reporting guidance, please go to: https://www.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/provider-post-payment-notice-of-reporting-requirements-june-2021.pdf
OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS)
As you may know, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to protect healthcare workers from occupational exposure to COVID-19 in settings where people with COVID-19 are reasonably expected to be present. During the period of the emergency standard, covered healthcare employers, including Home Health Agencies, must develop and implement a COVID-19 plan to identify and control COVID-19 hazards in the workplace.
Covered employers must also implement other requirements to reduce transmission of COVID-19 in their workplaces, related to the following:
- patient screening and management;
- standard and transmission-based precautions;
- personal protective equipment (PPE), including facemasks or respirators;
- controls for aerosol-generating procedures;
- physical distancing of at least six feet, when feasible; physical barriers;
- cleaning and disinfection;
- ventilation;
- health screening and medical management;
- training;
- anti-retaliation;
- recordkeeping;
- and reporting.
ETS encourages vaccination, and as the result, exempts from coverage certain workplaces where ALL employees are fully vaccinated and individuals with possible COVID-19 are prohibited from entry.
Please note that employers must comply with all the standards by July 6, 2021, except the standards for physical barriers, ventilation, and training. Employers must comply with those by July 21, 2021.
Please also note that NAHC is developing a guidance document for home health and hospice providers that should be available soon. NAHC also plans to conduct additional education on the new standards as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, if you would like to familiarize yourself with ETS, please refer to the following resources:
1.United States Department of Labor/Occupational Safety and Health Administration website: https://www.osha.gov/coronavirus/ets (note: the site offers multiple tools for implementing ETS)
- ETS Fact Sheet: https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/OSHA4122.pdf
- DOL/OSHA Federal Register (published on 6/21/21): https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-06-21/pdf/2021-12428.pdf
Reminder: Cost Report Filing Extension
Due to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) delayed the cost report filing deadlines for all provider types with a fiscal year ending March 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020. As a reminder, the following provides the extended due dates.
Cost Reporting
| Period Ending | Initial Due Date | Extended Due Date | |||
| 11/30/2020 | 04/30/2021 | 06/30/2021 | |||
| 12/31/2020 | 05/31/2021 | 08/02/2021 |
CMS- Educational Opportunities
- CMS is offering a webinar Driving Quality in the US: How CMS Evaluates its Measure Portfolio. The webinar will walk audiences through CMS tools and processes, specifically the MMS Blueprint, Pre-rulemaking process, Quality Measure Index, and Impact Assessment, to evaluate the quality of its quality measures throughout the measure lifecycle.
- Tuesday, July 13, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m., ET (Register here)
- Wednesday, July 14, 2021, from 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., ET (Register here)
- Home Health and Hospice Medicare Summit
Mark your Calendars! Registration is Now Open! 2021 Home Health and Hospice Medicare Summit: 9/15, 9/16, and 9/17
Join NGS, CGS & Palmetto GBA this year for a virtual Home Health and Hospice Medicare summit Operation Collaboration: We Are All in This Together. Go here to for the session guide and registration links. This summit offers a unique educational opportunity to home health providers from every part of the United States, in every MAC jurisdiction, to join for a FREE, LIVE virtual education. The 2021 Medicare Summit attendees will receive education from the HH+H MACs collaborating to address the most current Medicare federal regulations and issues. The 2021 Summit will consist of two full days and one-half day of education.
COLORADO NEWS
EVV Updates
- Claim Suspension for Non-Utilizers
First of all, let ‘s start with a definition. Non-utilizing provider is defined as “a provider agency that is required to collect EVV but has not submitted any verified EVV records prior to claim submission between January 1, 2021 and June 24, 2021.”
Non-utilizing providers are expected to utilize EVV for all EVV-required claims immediately. In order to avoid suspension of claims, non-utilizing providers must begin submitting EVV records by June 24, 2021. Claim suspension is set to begin July 2, 2021.Suspended claims will show as EOB 3090 “Billing provider under review – suspend all claims” in Remittance Advice. Providers with claims suspended for non-utilization will have the suspension removed once EVV records are submitted
Exclusions to the above include the following providers:
- Providers utilizing EVV and who have submitted verified visits – no action required. You will NOT experience any disruption in payment
- New providers who have enrolled and began billing for EVV required services within the last month
- Non-utilizing Providers who are experiencing system issues that require Department escalation and resolution
For a complete HCPF memo (OM21-044), please go to https://hcpf.colorado.gov/sites/hcpf/files/HCPF%20OM%2021-044%20Electronic%20Visit%20Verification%20%28EVV%29%20Claim%20Suspension%20for%20Non-Utilizing%20Providers.pdf
- Colorado HCPF Third Party EVV – Companion Guide (Addendum)
Please note HCPF updated Colorado Third Party EVV Companion Guide. The updated guide can be found at https://hcpf.colorado.gov/sites/hcpf/files/CO%20HCPF%20Third%20Party%20Electronic%20Visit%20Verification%20Addendum-June%202021.pdf
Amity’s Friday emails (newsletters) will be archived on Amity’s Healthcare Group website at https://amityhealthcaregroup.com/resources/ under Weekly Newsletter section.
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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)