The year 2020 has brought many changes for home healthcare organizations, starting with the shift toward value-based care in the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). This new method of billing, the most significant change in 20 years, requires organizations to bill for 30-day periods, instead of the 60-day periods performed previously.... Keep Reading
Given the complex medical needs and necessary equipment, transporting developmentally delayed or medically challenged pediatric patients to and from outpatient therapy clinics is a difficult, if not impossible, task for many families. Easy transportation, coupled with care efficiencies and associated cost savings, are among the inherent benefits of care in... Keep Reading
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a neurological disease with severe functional, respiratory, and nutritional deficits. While the disease takes a few years for death to occur, the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) Cigna Government Services (CGS) and National Government Services (NGS) have set specific criteria for when the terminal stage of... Keep Reading
One of the advantages of home healthcare is the ability to serve clients in their homes, and to provide care for a variety of health needs. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, professional home care services have been on the front lines and are meeting this call head-on. Donna DeBlois, RN, BSW,... Keep Reading
The electronic data interchange (EDI) is one of the most innovative and supportive sets of procedures in our electronic and digitized era. EDI is considered the standard for exchanging documents electronically from one company to another and is used in nearly all major industries, including insurance, automotive, retail, and finance... Keep Reading
Racial prejudice and inequity have become a national public health emergency. Racial and ethnic disparities in healthcare negatively impact the lives of millions of individuals and deplete our nation’s overall health status. It is time we address these disparities on a systemic level.
Disparities in Healthcare Are Not a New Trend
People... Keep Reading
Not every patient has the same opportunities presented to them in their healthcare journey. It is our responsibility as healthcare leaders to share our experiences, educate and empower the patients we serve.
The weight of accomplishing these objectives often proves difficult. Yet, by using the equation below we can present options... Keep Reading
Now, more than ever, care at home is being looked at as not only a viable solution to help an older loved one remain in a familiar setting, but also as a way to preserve the health and safety of a population at heightened risk for complications from COVID-19.
Understanding the... Keep Reading
Effective communication is the foundation of a successful home care business but it can be overlooked due to demanding schedules and hurried operations. The communication lanes in a home care organization are rapid and complex, with information often flowing in multiple directions.
The agency scheduler is typically the hub of this... Keep Reading
When you think about customer service, hospice may not be the first image that comes to mind. However, providing hospice care requires a great deal of customer service aptitude from hospice professionals. While the interdisciplinary group (IDG) works together to ensure patients receive the right care at the right time,... Keep Reading
Under the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), much of the data that impacts the Health Insurance Prospective Payment System (HIPPS) code and reimbursement - including episode timing, referral source, clinical group, and comorbidity - comes from claim information.
The other reimbursement variable, functional impairment level, continues to be derived from Outcome and... Keep Reading
There is a big push in the healthcare industry to get off paper transaction claims and switch to electronic data interchange (EDI) for claim submissions. In order to effectively bill claims to payers requiring electronic transactions, it’s important to find a software company that can support all specifications payers have... Keep Reading