Issue #3, 2026
Greetings!
This week we have following sections covered under this newsletter.
AGILE Conference
Amity’s Irina Gorovaya will be joining M. Aaron Little, Managing Director, Forvis Mazars US, and Rachel Hold-Weiss, Partner, Health Group, Benesch Law, at AGILE 2026 for the session, “Audits Are Everywhere. What to Do When the Spotlight Finds You”.
The session will combine a focused presentation with a panel discussion, offering practical, real-world insight into today’s audit environment, and will be moderated by Mike Carr, Senior Director, Training & Education, Axxess.
🕒 Session Date and Time: May 5, 2026 | 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM CDT
Join industry experts as they break down how to identify common audit triggers, evaluate your organization’s audit readiness and apply best practices for responding to audits.
Amity Healthcare Group Expands Administrator Training Program
Amity Healthcare Group is pleased to announce the expansion of its Texas Administrator Training Program to support compliance with Texas regulatory requirements for both first-time and existing administrators of Home and Community Support Services Agencies (HCSSAs).
Effective May 1, 2026, Amity will introduce additional educational courses to complement its existing Initial 8-Hour Administrator Training.
Under Texas requirements, first-time administrators must complete 24 total hours of training within 12 months of designation, followed by 12 clock hours of continuing education annually.
For more information on our Texas Administrator Training Program and upcoming courses, please contact our team or visit our website.
Just a reminder that OASIS-E2 instrument went into effect on April 1, 2026. The updated version of the OASIS features minor changes focused on social determinants of health, data standardization, and expanded Resumption of Care (ROC) requirements.
In addition, for the summary of changes reflected in OASIS, please refer to Home Health OASIS E2 Change Table.
CMS has published the final OASIS‑E2 Guidance Manual, the OASIS‑E2 Questions and Answers documents, and the OASIS‑E2 Instruments.
CMS has released an updated Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN), Form CMS-R-131 effective March 20, 2026.
Please note that the previous version of the form (expiration date 01/31/2026) may continue to be used through May 12, 2026.
Use of the updated form becomes mandatory beginning May 12, 2026.
The revised form carries a new expiration date of March 31, 2029.
The National Alliance for Care at Home (the Alliance) and the Research Institute for Home Care (the Institute) released the 2025 Home Health Chartbook. This publication provides a broad overview of home health patients, the workforce, organizational trends, and the economic contribution of home health agencies. The Chartbook also provides data on 30-day rehospitalization rates for select primary diagnoses.
This research, compiled and presented by KNG Health Consulting LLC, summarizes and analyzes home health statistics from a variety of government sources, including the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Medicare Cost Reports, and Medicare fee-for-service claims.
It serves as a valuable resource for home health organizations seeking data-driven insights and benchmarking opportunities.
CMS, in collaboration with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response’s Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (ASPR TRACIE), has analyzed commonly cited emergency preparedness deficiencies. For additional details, including the most frequently cited deficiencies, please visit the updated CMS Health Care Provider Guidance webpage and review the top trending citations (PDF).
CMS and ASPR TRACIE also offered additional resources for providers as listed below:
- CMS:
- ASPR/TRACIE:
- Continuity of Operations / Business Continuity Planning Topic Collection
- Emergency Operations Plans / Emergency Management Program Topic Collection
- Hazard Vulnerability / Risk Assessment Topic Collection
- Training & Workforce Development Topic Collection
- Challenges & Considerations for Healthcare Facilities and Residents Affected by Planned Power Outages Sidebar
- Populations with Access & Functional Needs Topic Collection
COLORADO NEWS
FAMLI New Required Program Notice
In order to keep your business compliant with the FAMLI requirements, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment recommends the following:
- Share FAMLI’s Required Program Notice 2026 with every new employee.
Employers must provide the official FAMLI Required Program Notice – an internal summary or handbook excerpt is not sufficient. - Post the Program Notice in a visible location.
The FAMLI Program Notice must be displayed in a prominent workplace location where employees can easily see it. It must be posted in:- English
- Spanish
- Any language spoken by at least 5% of your workforce. The FAMLI Toolkit currently has 17 translations.
- Notify Your Remote Employees.
If your business has remote employees or no physical workplace, you must share the notice via email or post it in a conspicuous place on your intranet or another app-based platform. - Provide individual notice when a qualifying event occurs.
If you learn that an employee is experiencing a life event that may qualify for FAMLI – such as the birth of a child, or serious health condition – you must provide the Required Program Notice to that employee within five days. - Follow Your Private Plan Requirements.
Employers with an approved Private Plan must post notices that include details specific to that plan, including benefits, eligibility, contributions, and appeal rights. These notices must also be individually delivered to employees who may be experiencing a qualifying life event.
Acentra Health 2026 Annual Provider Satisfaction Survey
Acentra Health and the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing are announcing the opening of the
The Colorado PAR Provider Survey opens April 13, 2026, and will remain open through May 22, 2026. The Colorado PAR Provider Survey is an opportunity to provide feedback regarding Acentra Health services in processing PARs, customer service, provider education and timeliness.
Acentra Health will send email reminders to all providers, including links to complete the survey, once it opens.
We encourage you to take this opportunity to share your experiences and feedback working with Acentra.
Limitations of Long-term Home Health and Private Duty Nursing Use in Residential Habilitation Settings
In its April 1, 2026, Operational Memo (OM 26-020), the Office of Community Living reminds providers of the limitations on Long-Term Home Health (LTHH) and Private Duty Nursing (PDN) services for members residing in Residential Habilitation Settings (RHSS) under HCBS DD waivers.
RHSS is intended to meet most of a member’s support needs, including certain skilled care. However, LTHH or PDN services may be utilized only in limited clinical situations when needs exceed the scope of RHSS.
LTHH/PDN services may be provided only when:
- The member has complex skilled care needs beyond RHSS capabilities that require a licensed nurse (e.g., wound care, complex medication administration, ventilator management)
- Needs are documented in the physician’s plan of care, meet medical necessity criteria, and are prior authorized
- Services are not duplicative of RHSS, and are coordinated to ensure no overlap in services, billing, or care delivery
To avoid duplication of services, providers are encouraged to be proactive and do the following:
- Review RHSS vs. LTHH/PDN scope for all dual-service cases
- Ensure billing and documentation clearly reflect non-overlapping services
- Do not bill LTHH/PDN for services already covered under RHSS – this may be considered duplicative and potentially fraudulent
- Ensure clinical and direct care staff are trained on scope limitations and documentation expectations
STAIRS Retirement
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will be retiring the State of Texas Automated Information Reporting System (STAIRS) as part of the transition to the new State of Texas Electronic Provider System (STEPS), beginning with cost reports collected in 2026.
Key Deadline: April 30, 2026, at 5:00 PM CST
After this date:
- Access to STAIRS will be permanently discontinued
- Providers will no longer be able to retrieve prior-year cost reports
- All STAIRS accounts will be deactivated
Providers are strongly encouraged to:
- Download and save all necessary historical cost reports immediately
- Avoid waiting until the deadline, as access and retrieval may be limited
cost reports is critical for:
- Audit readiness
- Financial recordkeeping
- Ongoing compliance
Instructions for downloading and retrieving a cost report are available here.
On March 10, 2026, The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Long-Term Care Regulation (LTCR) has issued Provider Letter PL 2026-03, outlining updates to Employability Status Checks.
For Home and Community Support Services Agencies (HCSSAs), the key update is the transition of employability searches to the Texas Unified Licensure Information Portal (TULIP).
What providers need to know:
- Employability Status Checks must now be conducted through TULIP
- Providers are still required to complete:
- Employee Misconduct Registry (EMR) checks
- Nurse Aide Registry (NAR) checks
- The letter includes guidance and instructions on how to perform these searches within the updated system
Why this matters:
- Ensures compliance with staff screening and hiring requirements
- Supports proper documentation of employee eligibility
Effective May 1, 2026, Amity is expanding its Administrator Training Program and will introduce additional educational courses to complement its existing Initial 8-Hour Administrator Training (please see announcement in Amity’s News section of the letter).
For more information on our Texas Administrator Training Program and upcoming courses, please contact our team or visit our website.
Please do not hesitate to reach out for any assistance or questions via email, phone, or website at https://amityhealthcaregroup.com/resources/.
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Thank you,
Irina Gorovaya, RN BSN, MBA
Amity Healthcare Group, LLC
Home Health Consulting, Education and Outsourcing Services
713-564-5011 (Houston Office), 303-690-2749 (Denver Office), 720-398-6200 (fax)
https://amityhealthcaregroup.com/
Confidentiality Notice: The information contained in this message is privileged and confidential information intended for the use of the individual or entity named above.
Copyright © 2025 Amity Healthcare Group. All rights reserved.
Amity Healthcare Group
Houston Office
1201 Fannin Street, Suite 262,
Houston, Texas 77002
Denver Office
12835 East Arapahoe Road, Tower II, Suite 320,
Centennial, CO 80112
