2024-03
PHA Submits Comments on Aging Your Way, PA
March 25, 2024ast week, PHA submitted comments to the Pennsylvania Department of Aging (Department) on its draft master plan on aging, Aging Our Way, PA. PHA commended the plan’s proposal to advance initiatives that…
Representative Jessica Benham and Representative Jason Ortitay issued a co-sponsorship memorandum calling for “Agency Accountability and Livable Wages for PA’s Home Care Workers.” The memorandum calls for four action items: The memorandum…
OIG Releases New Medicaid Fraud Report
March 25, 2024The HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) has released its FY 2023 Annual Report for Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs). The Report highlights the important role of MFCUs in investigating and prosecuting…
Aimed at bolstering support for caregivers of veterans, both the VA Caregiver Support Program (CSP) and Building Better Caregivers ®(BBC) have announced meaningful updates. These initiatives underscore the commitment to enhancing support networks and…
CMS Releases Tool to Help Health Care Providers and Organizations Check Whether or Not They Are Considered HIPAA Covered Entities
March 25, 2024The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has released a new tool to help providers, clearinghouses, and health plans determine if an organization or individual is covered under the Administrative…
CMS Issues Revised Interpretive Guidelines for the Home Health Conditions of Participation (CoPs)
March 25, 2024The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated Appendix B of the State Operations Manual (SOM) to provide guidance for surveyors in assessing home health agencies (HHAs). These updates reflect…
ODP Issues 2022-23 Annual Data Report
March 18, 2024The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has released its Annual Data Report, which includes statistical information on the individuals ODP serves and the services they receive. This data provides an overview…
Last week, PHA held an EVV check-in with representatives from the Department of Human Services, Community HealthChoices and Physical Health Choices MCOs, HHAeXchange, Sandata, and Netsmart. Throughout the event, stakeholders shared…
2024 HCBS CAHPS Report: Participants Satisfied with Quality of Care, Workforce Issues Still Impacting Access
March 18, 2024Individuals receiving Medicaid home and community-based services are overwhelmingly satisfied with the care they receive, yet ongoing workforce issues continue to impact access to care, according to the2024 Home and Community-Based…
New HHVBP Newsletter Highlights Quality Measures + PHA HHVBP Webinar Track Kicks Off March 25!
March 18, 2024Home health providers can access the March Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Newsletter. This month’s edition includes information on interim performance reports, a look ahead in 2024, a review of the…
Claims Processing Issue: Claims Returning to Provider in Error Due to NOA Offline (Reason Code 19963)
March 18, 2024CGS continues to receive questions from home health providers regarding claims that were returned in error because the corresponding NOA is offline (reason code 19963). If you identify claims that…
CMS Issued Revised Hospice Model Statement
March 18, 2024The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released an updated Hospice Model Election Statement, dated March 2024. Hospices utilizing the CMS Model Election Statement or incorporating its language into…
On March 9, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 was signed into law by President Biden to partially fund the government through Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24). Included in the bill is a one-year…
Last month, the CMS MLN Connects newsletter clarified “that hospice and skilled nursing facility medical directors and administrators are always considered managing employees for Medicare provider enrollment purposes. You must report all current…
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated its enrollment FAQs for marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors. This update includes new resources and provides clarification on supervision…
PHA organized a sign-on letter to House leadership sharing opposition from providers to House Bill 876, sponsored by Rep. Mike Cabell (R-Luzerne), is pending consideration by the House of Representatives and…
PHA Signs-on to Letter Raising Concern Over Proposed Changes to Medicare Advantage Program
March 18, 2024Last week, PHA, along with a diverse group of stakeholders, joined in signing an open letter coordinated by the Better Medicare Alliance. The letter, addressed to CMS, expressed concerns regarding the proposals…
White House Releases FY2025 Budget Proposal
March 18, 2024President Biden’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2025, totaling $7.26 trillion, offers insights into his administration’s priorities, though Congress ultimately decides on spending. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)…
On Friday, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) issued its March 2024 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy. As part of its annual report, MedPAC included the following home health and hospice recommendations: As a…
On Friday, the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) issued new respiratory virus guidance for the general public to align with recent CDC changes. As a reminder, this guidance does NOT apply to healthcare settings. All COVID-19 guidance…
HIPAA Security Rule: New Cybersecurity Guide Released
March 18, 2024The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) have released a revised resource guide to assist HIPAA-covered entities…
Genworth Releases Annual Cost of Care Survey
March 18, 2024The cost of long-term care services increased across all provider types, with the most substantial increases occurring in home health and homecare services, according to the latest Genworth’s Cost of Care…
March is Fraud Prevention Month
March 18, 2024March is Fraud Prevention Month. Join PHA in recognizing the importance of combating fraud, waste, and abuse. We’ve compiled a list of tools and resources to assist you in staying…
The final week of budget hearings concluded with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS) Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh testifying before the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Appropriations committee members…
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and Department of Health and Human Services have issued an updated joint advisory #StopRansomware: ALPHV Blackcat. The updated advisory provides new indicators…
CDC Updates COVID-19 Guidance for General Population; Guidance for HCP Remains Unchanged
March 11, 2024On March 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) adjusted their COVID-19 recommendations for the public to align with guidelines for other common respiratory viruses such as the…
On March 1, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued Change Request (CR) 13449 to establish and implement a new “stay of enrollment” status for Medicare-enrolled providers in an effort to…
The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare has led to interruptions in provider claims and payment processing across the healthcare continuum. Hospitals, nursing facilities, and home-based care entities have felt the…
Hospices now have access to additional resources in the Provider Toolkit on the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices page, including three recently added guides: Additionally, CMS has added the Quarterly Q&A…
Last week, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) announced the discontinuation of the Hospice Benefit Component in the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model, effective December 31, 2024. This decision comes…
CMS Updates Manuals to Include Marriage and Family Therapists, Mental Health Counselors
March 11, 2024The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated its manuals to reflect Medicare coverage and payment for marriage and family therapists (MFTs) and mental health counselors (MHCs) effective…
The Pennsylvania Homecare Association (PHA) has officially appointed Mia Haney as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), starting February 26, 2024. Haney, who has over 15 years of experience in the home…
UPDATE: Change Healthcare Cyber Attack
March 4, 2024The recent cyberattack on Change Healthcare, a software and data analytics subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group’s Optum unit, has led to the suspension of various operations, affecting Pennsylvania payors, including Community…
A Message from PHA’s CEO
March 4, 2024Dear PHA Members and Partners, It is my sincere honor to be offered the full-time role of CEO with the Pennsylvania Homecare Association (PHA). As I reflect on the journey…
HHAeXchange Invests in Improved Provider Support
March 4, 2024HHAeXchange issued a formal communication emphasizing its commitment to product development and customer service enhancement. Within the communication, Tammy Prause, Vice President of Technical Customer Care at HHAeXchange, recognized recent…
On March 1, 2024, the Department of Human Services (DHS) released a Request For Proposal (RFP) seeking a vendor to provide EVV Module services for the Medicaid Management Information System Modernization Project….
Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Door Forums (ODFs) switched from phone to webinars and now include an online registration process. Last week, CMS shared the…
The Pennsylvania Office of Medical Assistance Programs (OMAP) held a Pediatric Shift Care Stakeholder Update Call on February 29, 2024 to review the refreshed Improving Pennsylvania’s Pediatric Shift Care Nursing Through Collaboration. The…
Pennsylvania Budget Hearings Continue
March 4, 2024The House and Senate Appropriations Committees continued their respective slate of agency budget hearings this past week. While this process does include value from the standpoint of understanding programs and…
The deadline for home health agencies to submit a request for an exemption from participating in the Home Health CAHPS (HHCAHPS) Survey for the CY 2025 Annual Payment Update (APU)…
Senate Bill 1080 sponsored by Sen. Lynda Culver (R- Columbia, Luzerne, Montour, Northumberland, and Snyder) and championed by PHA, was introduced on February 23. Senate Bill 1080 aims to allow Licensed…
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