Hello, everyone!
Here are some home health related updates for this week:
AMITY’S NEWS
Amity Healthcare Group Is Hosting a Free Webinar
5 Key Elements of a Successful Home Health Remote Patient Monitoring Program
Join me, Irina Gorovaya, owner and president of Amity Healthcare Group, Erin Vallier, Account Executive at AlayaCare, and Kaila Raimondo, Solution Engineer at AlayaCare (end-to-end software solution for Private Duty, Private Pay, and Medicaid agencies) for a webinar on 5 Key Elements of a Successful Home Health Remote Patient Monitoring Program on January 27, 2021 from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm MST as we explore key factors and solutions necessary for successful deployment of patient remote monitoring program in home health.
Professional Development CEUs: 1 CEU
NATIONAL NEWS
No-Pay RAPs and Late RAP Submission Penalty
Just a quick reminder that effective January 1, 2021 for RAPs with “From” dates on or after January 1, 2021, the up-front split-percentage payment for all 30-day periods of care will be zero percent (0%) for all home health agencies.
In addition to no-pay RAP, home health providers will also be subject to a payment reduction when HHA does not submit the RAP within 5 calendar days from the start of care date for the first 30-day period of care in a 60-day certification period, and within 5 calendar days of the “From” date for the second 30-day period of care in the 60-day certification period. The payment reduction will be equal to a 1/30th percent reduction to the 30-day period payment amount for each day from the start of care date/admission date, or “From” date for subsequent 30-day periods, until the date the HHA submits the RAP.
To submit the RAP, you should have the following in place:
- The appropriate physician’s written or verbal order that sets out the services required for the initial visit has been received and documented as required; and
- The initial visit within the 60-day certification period has been made and the individual is admitted to home health care
HHAs will no longer be required to complete the following processes prior to submitting the RAP.
- An OASIS assessment that is complete, locked or export ready; and
- A plan of care that has been established and sent to the physician
CMS Revises COVID-19 Focused Infection Control Survey
On December 30, 2020, CMS released a memo revising the COVID-19 Focused Infection Control Survey Tool for acute and continuing care. The surveyors would use this tool for hospice and home health agency providers for any type of survey currently being conducted, except a complaint survey where the complaint allegation is not related to infection control.
The memo includes Focused Infection Control Survey Tool that reflects COVID-19 guidance updates, clarifications to existing information, regulatory considerations, and provides focus on hand hygiene and use of personal protective equipment PPE.
For a complete memo/ COVID-19 Focused Infection Control Survey Tool, please see attached.
Quarterly Update to Home Health (HH) Grouper
Effective January 1, 2021 update to the Home Health Grouper software was made to reflect new COVID-19-related diagnosis code changes. Make sure your billing staff is aware of these changes. MACs will process Home Health claims with from dates on and after January 1, 2021 using HH Grouper version 02.1.21.
The HH Grouper and related documentation for each update is available at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/HomeHealthPPS/CaseMixGrouperSoftware.
Medicare FFS Claims Sequestration Suspended Through March
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act suspended the payment adjustment percentage of 2% applied to all Medicare Fee-For-Service (FFS) claims from May 1 through December 31. The Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, signed into law on December 27, extends the suspension period to March 31, 2021.
COLORADO NEWS
15-day EVV Compliance Extension
According to the HCPF memo issued on December 23, 2020 “due to the broad impacts of the public health emergency (PHE) on providers, the difficulties experienced by providers acting in good faith to implement EVV, and assurance by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that the Department’s strategy will not adversely impact Federal Medicaid supports, the Department is delaying the pre-payment claim review until January 15, 2021.” HCPF also stated that “more information will be made available prior to January 15 on further compliance timelines.”
Rocky Mountain Human Services Provider Meeting
The next Rocky Mountain Human Services (RMHS) Single Entry Point Provider Meeting will be held on Friday, January 29th, 2021 at 1:00 PM MST. During the meeting, RMHS will provide case management and intake updates and have an open forum for questions and feedback.
To join the meeting via your computer or mobile app
Click here to join the meeting
Or call in (audio only)
+1 720-372-0556,103448743# United States, Denver
Phone Conference ID: 103 448 743#
You are welcome to pre-submit questions prior to the meeting by emailing to: SEPquestions@rmhumanservices.org
Colorado CAPS Update
- Employee Written Authorization Form: please note that Colorado CAPS Unit issued an updated Employee Authorization form effective December 10, 2020. The new form is available at https://ccu.colorado.gov/
- Change to CAPS check results retrieval: effective December 17, 2020, the State of Colorado changed its secure server host where you retrieve the CAPS check results to ProofPoint. For the detailed user guide
- CAPS question of the week: we have recently asked Colorado CAPS Unit of there is a process in place to notify employers if any of the current employers is newly identified as a perpetrator after the initial CAPS check. Here is the answer that we received:
“We have a weekly “flagged hit” process to identify newly substantiated perpetrators, which is intended to alleviate the need for periodic or cyclical CAPS Checks. Each week, we receive a report that contains the names of every individual who has been substantiated of mistreatment during the prior week.
The team investigates each newly substantiated perpetrator to determine if we have completed any CAPS Checks for anyone on the new list. We compare the names on the list with all CAPS Checks we have ever received so we can notify employers who may have employed the individuals. In cases where we do find a match, we have to first determine whether the substantiated perpetrator is working for any of the employers who have submitted a request for them in the past. If there are no prior CAPS checks, there is no way to notify the employer. “
COVID-19 Vaccines
As you may know, effective 12/28/20, home health care personnel was added to Phase 1B for COVID-19 vaccination. Every county public health department has been addressing the way to connect eligible Phase 1 (A&B) eligible individuals with community vaccine provider.
If you belong to Tri-County Health Department (TCHD) covering Adams, Arapahoe and Douglas counties, and members of your staff fit the criteria for phase 1A and 1B, it is recommended that you contact TCHD via their COVID-19 vaccine email address at COVIDvaccine@tchd.org or via our call center at 303-220-9200.
Please include the following information:
- Name, address, and county for your facility/agency
- Type of facility (primary care, specialty care, home care, etc.)
- Contact person with email and phone number
- Number of staff (including number in both 1A and 1B)
TCHD provided a Staff Roster Template to report vaccination needs for your staff (please see attached)
For a complete TCHD Public Health Brief issued on 12/29/20, please see attached document.
To stay up-to-date with TCHD COVID-19 vaccine updates, please follow https://www.tchd.org/866/COVID-19-Vaccines
If you belong to Denver County, it is recommended that you reach out to rct@denvergov.org with your inquiries. Earlier this week, we were referred to Safeway Pharmacy Program for COVID-19 vaccination for home health care personnel, however, on January 7th, we were informed that Safeway announced that they were no longer accepting vaccine registrations. More guidance on COVID-19 vaccinations for Denver County is expected to be available within next few days.
Additional information and COVID-19 updates are also available at: https://covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine-providers
If your agency is interested in storing and administering the vaccine to your staff and other eligible individuals, you may be able to enroll as a COVID-19 vaccine provider. More information on enrolling as a provider can be found on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE)’s website https://covid19.colorado.gov/vaccine-providers. Only vaccine providers approved by CDPHE may receive and store the vaccine for administration. If your agency is interested in becoming a COVID-19 vaccine provider, you must:
- Be credentialed/licensed in Colorado to possess or administer vaccines or provide vaccination services.
- Sign and agree to the conditions in the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program Provider Agreement.
- Fully complete the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Provider Profile form for each location where COVID-19 vaccine will be administered, even if owned under a larger corporate or parent organization.
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)
