Week of April 18th

To assist with the labor and nursing shortage, LeadingAge and a coalition of 12 long-term care provider organizations, sent an April 1st letter calling on the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to improve the processing...

The hospice PEPPER reports were released recently. These reports are an educational tool that summarizes individual hospice data statistics for Medicare services that may be at risk for improper payments pre-CMS guidance. The data...

This week’s MLN reviewed the Value-Based Insured Design Model payment for hospice services. Under the Hospice Benefit Component of the Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Model, participating Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs) retain responsibility for all Original Medicare...

CMS released a memo stating that certain waivers pertaining to in-patient hospices will lapse in 60 days from the issuance of today’s memo. Specifically, there are four waivers around life safety codes, facility and equipment inspection,...

CMS announced cross-cutting initiatives as mechanisms to advance CMS’ strategic vision and six strategic pillars. In addition to advancing the six strategic pillars that CMS announced last year, the CCI’s 13 initiatives include efforts to address...

Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and her leadership team, will host a quarterly National Stakeholder Call Tuesday, April 26th from 2:30-3:30 PM CT. She will provide updates...

CMS updated their website listing the key reporting dates for hospice agencies. This includes schedules refreshes of the Care Compare website, upcoming data correction deadlines for public reporting, and the CAHPS Hospice Survey upcoming data submission...

PHI released a report on state policy options for strengthening the direct care workforce. It has 24 specific policy strategies with concrete examples. The report can be found here.

CMS recently released the Fiscal Year (FY) Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule (CMS 1765-P). The rule updates Medicare payment policies and includes proposals for the SNF QRP and VBP programs. There is a...

I. FOLLOWING THE NARRATIVE: A quick summary of national media trends last week.(* indicates that LeadingAge is featured in the story.)  The impact of proposed Medicare funding cuts announced last week spurred a fresh wave...

LeadingAge submitted comments on the proposed OASIS-E changes in home health. We asked for OASIS-E to be delayed until CY2024 and cited the current workforce shortage and competing pressure with home health value based...

LeadingAge’s Home Health Member Network met on April 5, 2022, to discuss the Medicare Home Infusion Therapy benefit and health equity issues in home health as well as updates on national legislation and regulation...