Tag: Theresa Forster

Webinar Tomorrow: CMS’ Proposed Hospice FY2024 Payment Rule: Implications for Agencies & Hospice

Date: Tuesday, April 11, 2023 Time: 12:00 – 1:30 PM EDT (90 Minutes) REGISTER NOW Free to NAHC members  In addition to routine annual payment changes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) proposed fiscal year (FY) 2024 Hospice Payment Rule, issued on March 31, contains valuable updates on the Hospice Quality Reporting Program…

Webinar: CMS’ Proposed Hospice FY2024 Payment Rule: Implications for Agencies & Hospice

Date: Tuesday, April 11, 2023 Time: 12:00 – 1:30 PM EDT (90 Minutes) REGISTER NOW Free to NAHC members  In addition to routine annual payment changes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’) proposed fiscal year (FY) 2024 Hospice Payment Rule, issued on March 31, contains valuable updates on the Hospice Quality Reporting Program…

GAO Urges CMS to Update Hospice Rules for Reporting Abuse, Neglect

Hospices should be required to report every example of neglect or abuse, even if the offender is not an employee, according to recommendations in a new reort from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). Currently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires hospices to report abuse and/or neglect of patients involving members of the…

NAHC’s Katie Wehri Will be at 2022 HH+H MAC Collaborative Summit

Featuring NAHC’s Dir of Home Care & Hospice Regulatory Affairs Katie Wehri Las Vegas, September 13-15 You have a chance to attend the 2022 Home Health and Hospice (HH+H) Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) Collaborative Summit: One Program, One Voice being held live, in-person at the Rio All-Suite Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada September 13, 14…

TODAY! Webinar: CMS’ Finalized FY2023 Hospice Payments, Wage Index, and Quality Reporting Requirements

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its final rule governing hospice payment rates and other policies for fiscal year (FY) 2023. The rule contains a 3.8 percent update for hospice payments (a significant bump over the proposed 2.7 percent payment update proposed in April) and a permanent 5 percent cap on wage index losses from one year to the next, starting October 1, 2022.

The rule also responds to comments on the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP), Special Focus Program, the Request for Information (RFI) on Health Equity, and comments on Advancing Health Information Exchange.

Join NAHC’s hospice experts for an in-depth look at the policy changes you should anticipate for FY2023 and insights into CMS’ perspectives on the wide array of issues addressed in the rule.

Objectives:

  1. Discuss the hospice payment rates and wage index changes planned for FY2023
  2. Describe forthcoming changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program
  3. Comprehend the role the Special Focus Program will play in hospice care oversight
  4. Outline CMS’ responses to stakeholders’ perspective on proposals to address health equity and advancing health information exchange

Faculty:

  • Theresa M. Forster, VP for Hospice Policy & Programs, NAHC
  • Katie Wehri, Director of Home Health & Hospice Regulatory Affairs

Registration: 

  • Members: Free
    Non-members: $99

Thank you to our sponsor Moss Adams

Webinar: CMS’ Finalized FY2023 Hospice Payments, Wage Index, and Quality Reporting Requirements

Wednesday, August 3, 2022 1:00PM – 2:00PM Eastern REGISTER NOW! Sponsored by Moss Adams The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its final rule governing hospice payment rates and other policies for fiscal year (FY) 2023. The rule contains a 3.8 percent update for hospice payments (a significant bump over the proposed 2.7…

Webinar: CMS’ Finalized FY2023 Hospice Payments, Wage Index, and Quality Reporting Requirements

Wednesday, August 3, 2022 1:00PM – 2:00PM Eastern REGISTER NOW! Sponsored by Moss Adams The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued its final rule governing hospice payment rates and other policies for fiscal year (FY) 2023. The rule contains a 3.8 percent update for hospice payments (a significant bump over the proposed…

NAHC Seeks Dialogue with Hospices Involved in MA VBID Hospice Component Model

Beginning in January 2022, the Medicare Advantage (MA) Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Hospice Benefit Component model entered its second year of operation. Under the model, participating MA plans include the hospice benefit among their benefit offerings, as well as transitional concurrent care, palliative care, and hospice-specific supplemental benefits. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) plans to operate the model for a total of four years (CY2021 through CY2024).

During the first year, nine MA plans participated in the model in 14 states and territories through 53 separate plan benefit packages (PBPs).  During CY2022, the second year, the model expanded to 13 MA plans (through 115 PBPs) operating in 22 states and territories.  In CY2022, that translates to a total of 461 counties in which the MA VBID Hospice Component model is operating across the nation.

The National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) is seeking to connect hospice providers participating in the model – either as in-network or out-of-network hospices — for individual conversations about their experience in the model. If you are a hospice that has served patients enrolled in the MA VBID Hospice Component model, we urge you to contact Theresa Forster (tmf@nahc.org), NAHC’s VP for Hospice Policy & Programs, to schedule a brief discussion of your discuss your experience.  Your participation will help NAHC assess the impact that the model may be having on hospice providers and the hospice benefit.

Following are the states in which the MA VBID Hospice Component Model is or has operated during CY2021 and CY2022:

  1. Alabama
  2. California
  3. Colorado
  4. Florida
  5. Georgia
  6. Hawaii
  7. Idaho
  8. Illinois
  9. Indiana
  10. Kentucky
  11. Massachusetts
  12. New Mexico
  13. New York
  14. Ohio
  15. Oklahoma
  16. Oregon
  17. Pennsylvania
  18. Puerto Rico
  19. Texas
  20. Utah
  21. Virginia
  22. Washington

Please note:  If you are a hospice provider and the VBID Hospice Benefit Component is offered in your state and you are interested in determining whether it is being offered in your service area, you must consult the list of PBPs for which CMS has posted a link HERE, sort by state and review the list of counties and zip codes where the PBPs are operating.

NAHC Seeks Dialogue with Hospices Involved in MA VBID Hospice Component Model

Beginning in January 2022, the Medicare Advantage (MA) Value-Based Insurance Design (VBID) Hospice Benefit Component model entered its second year of operation. Under the model, participating MA plans include the hospice benefit among their benefit offerings, as well as transitional concurrent care, palliative care, and hospice-specific supplemental benefits. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services…

Did You Miss These Webinars?

NAHC presented two important webinars last week, filled with essential information for hospice professionals. If you missed them, here they are now.

The Proposed FY2023 Hospice Payment Rule and Quality Updates – Register now

Bill Dombi’s Hospice & Home Health Update! – Register now

NAHC Webinar: The Proposed FY2023 Hospice Payment Rule and Quality Updates

On March 30, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed FY2023 rule providing guidance on projected payment rates for the coming year and forthcoming updates to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP). While the rule addresses “standard fare” for an annual payment rule, CMS did include some policy proposals that will benefit the hospice community, including a proposed cap on wage index losses from year to year and plans to solicit input on a Hospice Special Focus Program through the formal rulemaking process.

NAHC’s hospice experts will discuss these issues and share some hospice data and insights from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission’s (MedPAC’s recent Report to Congress on Medicare Payment Policy.

Objectives:

  1. Discuss the proposed hospice payment rates and wage index changes planned for FY2023
  2. Describe forthcoming changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program
  3. Identify key policy issues in hospice care as outlined by MedPAC

Faculty:

  • Theresa M. Forster, VP for Hospice Policy & Programs, NAHC
  • Katie Wehri, Director of Home Health and Hospice Regulatory Affairs

REGISTER NOW!

Sponsored by NetHealth

 

 

 

Bill Dombi’s Home Health & Hospice Update!

Register: NAHC Home Health & Hospice Updates

As the nation continues to adjust to the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress and regulatory agencies are ramping up health care reforms that include care at home. Focus has shifted from PPE and vaccines, to payment models, payment rates, program integrity, and quality of care.

During this webinar, NAHC President, William A. Dombi, updates the current legislative, regulatory, and policy landscape in home care and hospice. He will also address hot topics including business trends, progress on industry challenges, and where the opportunities lie for growth in 2022 and beyond.

During this session, Bill will also discuss:

  • The state of home care, home health, and hospice legislation and regulatory action since the end of 2021, with an eye toward midterm elections;
  • What is prompting the increased concerns on quality of care and where to start addressing them now;
  • The state of workforce staffing in both home care and hospice settings;
  • And more!

REGISTER NOW!