Here are some home health related updates for this week:
AMITY’S NEWS
Amity Healthcare Group is proud to announce our new Skilled Nursing Virtual Competency Program.
Amity Healthcare Group has been providing in-person skilled nursing competencies in Denver, Colorado. Now, we are excited to extend our services nationwide in an efficient and compliant manner with our new Virtual Competency Program.
Our Virtual Competency Program will be accessible via Zoom video conferencing. It will consist of a live lecture, written exam, and skills demonstration and observation. The information will be delivered to participants by a qualified clinical educator in a synchronous manner. Participants will be able to interact with the instructor as well as perform return skills demonstration utilizing a skill set kit that will be mailed to participants prior to the scheduled competency. Upon completion of the competency, participants will also be awarded CEUs.
The program will be available on March 18, 2021.
Please follow our weekly email for additional announcements or call 303-690-2749 for additional questions.
The next available CNA/HHA is Tuesday, March 2, 2021, and Thursday, March 4th, 2021 and Skilled Nursing Competency on Tuesday, March 2, 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.
HHA/CNA Competency: https://amityhealthcaregroup.
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 or schedule a meeting at https://calendly.com/ig–3/30-
NATIONAL NEWS
CDC Guidance: Handling COVID-19 Exposures Post Vaccination
CDC guidance related to when an individual has completed vaccination but been exposed to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 maybe utilized for work restrictions protocols for fully vaccinated healthcare personnel with higher-risk exposures.
Per CDC guidelines vaccinated persons with exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 are not required to quarantine if they meet all of the following criteria:
- Are fully vaccinated (i.e., ≥2 weeks following receipt of the second dose in a 2-dose series, or ≥2 weeks following receipt of one dose of a single-dose vaccine)
- Are within 3 months following receipt of the last dose in the series.
- Have remained asymptomatic since the current COVID-19 exposure.
The individuals who meet the above criteria and do not quarantine should monitor themselves for potential symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days following an exposure. If they experience symptoms, they should be clinically evaluated for COVID-19.
The individuals who do not meet all of the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance
(https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/
Reminder from iQIES Service Center
iQIES is reminding users that some links within iQIES may not function properly when accessing iQIES using the Internet Explorer (IE) 11 web browser. For optimal system performance, iQIES is recommending to use the latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox to access iQIES.
COLORADO NEWS
Colorado EVV Delay
Last week, the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) has issued another delay for EVV pre-payment claim review (please see attached memo). In their announcement, HCPF stated the following:
“While the Department has seen significant increases in utilization, the current rate is still at a rate in which there are concerns. Accordingly, the pre-payment claim review will be delayed again. The Department will monitor technical issues, provider utilization, and rate of successful claim matching to EVV records over the coming weeks. The Department will inform stakeholders of the new date the EVV pre-prepayment claim review will be implemented at least one month before claims are subject to denial.”
Providers are still expected to utilize EVV for all EVV-required claims as appropriate.
Operational Memo HCPF OM 21-024:
On February 23, 2021, HCPF issued an Operational Memo (OM 21-024) that supersedes HCPF OM 21-013 from February 1, 2021. The memo (please see attached) provides update to case management documentation requirements for functional eligibility for long-term services and supports (LTSS) programs and Long- Term Home Health (LTHH).
On March 13, 2020, HCPF issued guidance removing the requirement to obtain a completed Professional Medical Information Page (PMIP) and extending the amount of time a case manager has to obtain the forms required for all eligibility assessments to 60 days. However, effective February 1, 2021, HCPF modified the above guidance and stated the following:
“Members who receive an initial assessment on or after February 1, 2021, must have all required forms fully completed in order to be determined functionally eligible for a requested program.”
However, when it comes to Long Term Home Health (LTHH), HCPF specified that for members utilizing LTHH only, the case manager is able to continue using the Health Care Agency CMS-485 form (Plan of Care) in place of a PMIP for both initial and recertifications assessments.
Amity’s Friday emails (newsletters) will be archived on Amity’s Healthcare Group website at https://amityhealthcaregroup.
Please do not hesitate to reach out for any assistance or questions via email, phone or website at https://amityhealthcaregroup.
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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)