Home health and hospice agencies are at a higher demand, now more than ever, for protecting their patients and staff from COVID-19. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authorized two vaccines for public use in December 2020 and a third in February 2021.
Home Health Infection Control
The OIG will be interviewing corporate officers from the three largest home health agencies.
Request for Anticipated Payment (RAP) Changes in 2021
As a reminder, home health agencies will no longer receive RAP payments for 30-day payment periods beginning on and after January 1, 2021.However, agencies are required to submit the RAP in a timely manner to avoid monetary penalties. This is in preparation for the transition to the Notice of Admission beginning in 2022.
Audit of Home Health Services Provided as Telehealth During the COVID-19 PHE
The Office of the Inspector General has announced that “we will evaluate home health services provided by agencies during the COVID-19 public health emergency to determine which types of skilled services were furnished via telehealth, and whether those services were administered and billed in accordance with Medicare requirements”.
Emergency Preparedness Plan Action
Much of the United States has experienced a weather emergency this week. Home health agencies and hospices are required to document the events if they enacted another aspect of their emergency preparedness program—in addition to the COVID pandemic.
Caring for your aging parents or family members during a Public Health Emergency (COVID-19)
Caring for your aging parent or family member can be a difficult task on its own but with an added Public Health Emergency (PHE) and COVID-19, there are additional struggles. If you are finding yourself in this position, consider the following helpful tips as a caregiver during this time.
American Heart Month
We love your heart! MAC Legacy strives to educate and bring awareness to all healthcare professionals in our industry to better serve their patients. February is American Heart Month and we would like to bring awareness of this important campaign with discounted heart related products.
Bipartisan Budget Act Passed
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 was passed on February 9, 2018. Even though it does not represent our total requests, this is a VICTORY for your efforts to contact your representatives in Washington! Here is a summary: