AMITY’S NEWS
Did you know that ….
… Amity Healthcare Group provides ICD-10 coding and documentation review as follows:
- ICD – 10 Coding
- OASIS Review + ICD – 10 coding
- OASIS Review + POC (Plan of Care) Review
- OASIS Review + ICD – 10 Coding + POC (Plan of Care) Review
- Episodic documentation review
- Quality Trends Analysis and QAPI Development
Take advantage of the OASIS review support as we enter OASIS-E era!
For more information or a free trial, please contact us at 303-690-2749 or email at ig@amityhealthcaregroup.com
NATIONAL NEWS
CMS Revises PHE Fact Sheets to Reflect Extension for use of Telehealth to Perform Home Health and Hospice Face-to-Face Encounters
As we discussed in our last newsletter, on August 18, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance related to the planned phase-out of COVID-19 waivers, regulations, and flexibilities. According to the provided guidance, most of the waivers and flexibilities are set to terminate at the eventual end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE).
In August 18th documents, CMS indicated that the flexibilities currently allowing home health agencies and hospices to utilize telehealth for completion of their respective face-to-face (F2F) encounter requirements would also terminate with the end of the PHE. However, under the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022 (CAA 2022) Congress enacted provisions that extend the geographic and originating site requirement waivers (Section 301) and the waiver allowing use of telehealth to perform the hospice face-to-face encounter (Section 306) for 151 days following the end of the PHE.
Subsequently, the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) wrote to CMS officials requesting that they revise the guidance so that it reflects these legislative changes. In response to NAHC’s request, CMS officials acknowledged the changes made by the CAA 2022 and indicated that they would correct the Fact Sheets to reflect that the home health and hospice F2F telehealth waivers will remain in effect through the 151st day following the end of the PHE. CMS has posted updates to the Home Health and Hospice Fact Sheets reflecting the 151-day extensions.
Please see the updated Fact Sheets at:
https://www.cms.gov/files/
https://www.cms.gov/files/
CMS Releases Sequestration Reporting Instructions for Home Health Agencies
On September 15, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued revised instructions for the home health cost report. The revisions include a few minor technical corrections and provide instructions on how varying sequestration amounts allocated for 2022 are calculated (please refer to pages 46-49 of the instructions and, specifically, instructions for lines 32 and 32.75 to learn about how home health agencies are to calculate sequestration for the 1% effective April 1, 2022 and 2% effective July 1, 2022.
CMS Releases Sequestration Reporting Instructions for Home Health Agencies
Launched in 2004, National Preparedness Month (NPM) is FEMA’s national annual preparedness outreach. NPM is managed and sponsored by FEMA’s Ready Campaign that aims to educate and empower citizens during NPM and throughout the year to prepare for and respond to all types of emergencies.
2022 National Preparedness Month theme is A Lasting Legacy: “the life you’ve built is worth protecting. Prepare for disasters to create a legacy for you and your family.”
In the light of this, we would like to provide you with additional Emergency Preparedness Resources:
- Ready: https://www.ready.gov
- Administration for Community Living Emergency Preparedness: https://acl.gov/
emergencypreparedness - Administration for Community Living Emergency Response: https://acl.gov/programs/
emergency-response-information
- Administration for Community Living Emergency Response: https://acl.gov/programs/
- Emergency Response Planning: https://www.ready.gov/
business/implementation/ emergency - Table-top exercise guide: https://www.ready.gov/
exercises & https://www.alertmedia.com/ blog/tabletop-exercise- scenarios
COLORADO NEWS
Updated In-Home Support Services Forms
If your organization provides In-Home Support Services (IHSS), please note that effective September 1, 2022, HCPF developed a new form for IHSS – The Shared Responsibilities Plan form. The Shared Responsibilities Plan form replaces the IHSS Client and Provider Agency Responsibilities form and the IHSS Authorized Representative Designation form.
Please note that ALL members participating in IHSS program must have a completed Shared Responsibilities Plan on file by September 1, 2023.
HCPF Operational Memo OM 22-045 (Memo) outlines the following IHSS Agency Responsibilities:
- It is the IHSS Agency’s responsibility to have a documented agreement between parties using the Shared Responsibilities Plan to establish role clarity and define the responsibilities of the member, Agency, and AR. The Shared Responsibilities Plan shall be completed upon enrollment in IHSS and following any change of condition as outlined in 10 C.C.R. 2505-10 Section 8.552.7. C.
- This form will be required for all new IHSS members effective September 1, 2022 and must be updated for current IHSS members by September 1, 2023. A copy of the Shared Responsibilities Plan should be provided to the member, authorized representative, and the member’s Case Manager.
Colorado Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Updates
Employers, please keep an eye on the Colorado FAMLI updates. Throughout 2022, Colorado’s Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) Division is conducting rulemaking with a goal to develop a system that works for both employers and workers. Follow the LINK for the schedule of upcoming rulemaking, copies of current and previous rules, recordings from previous rulemaking, and comments received.
Additionally, FAMLI Division Regulatory Update published the following update in the recent newsletter:
“After considering nearly 300 written and oral comments received on specific provisions of our benefits rules, we have revised and adopted 7 CCR 1107-3 Benefits and Employer Participation Requirements (7CCR 1107-3). The adopted rules will have an effective date of October 15, 2022, and a complete copy is now published on our rules page. Notable changes from the proposed version of the rules include but are not limited to:”
- When using leave to “care for a new child,” benefits are limited to individuals standing in loco parentis to the child (previously listed as “legal parents.”)
- Deadlines for submitting an application for FAMLI benefits when the need for leave is unforeseeable have been extended to 30 days after the leave has begun (previously listed as seven days.)
- While formal appeal rights have been limited to the claimant applying for benefits, additional provisions were added to allow employers to file a grievance with the Division if it has a good-faith belief, supported by evidence, that the Division has granted FAMLI benefits to a claimant in an amount, duration or frequency beyond what the claimant is entitled or in a way that unduly disrupts the employer’s operations.
- Employers will now have an opportunity to request limited information regarding the amount and reason for leave where such information is strictly necessary for benefits coordination.
Amity’s 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.
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.
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)
www.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 © 2022 Amity Healthcare Group, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you opted in at our website
Amity Healthcare Group
5600 S. Quebec St Suite 310-A
Greewood Village, CO 8011