The Blog | HomeHealth101.com | Kathy Quan RN BSN

OIG Report on 2009 OASIS DATA Released

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:40:08 -0800

The OIG released their report entitled Limited Oversight of Home Health Agency OASIS Data. It contains some interesting facts including:

6% of 2009 claims are missing-- representing $1 Billion in Medicare payments. Is this an indication of fraud?
15% of OASIS data sets were submitted late.
CMS failed to meet key responsibilities

The OIG has thoughts and recommendations for penalties to be imposed.

Download and read the entire report here.

VNAA Supports Obama's Efforts to Reduce Waste & Costs- But Opposes Co-Pay for Home Health

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:17:59 -0800

In a statement released last week (2/13/12), the VNAA announced its support of President Barak Obama's efforts to cut waste and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid systems. In his proposed 2013 FY budget, President Obama proposes efforts "to boost integrity and reduce improper payments."

The VNAA does however, oppose the proposal in the 2013 FY budget to impose a $100 co-pay for Medicare home health and hospice services. According to Andy Carter, VNAA President and CEO, "we urge Congress and the Administration to avoid across-the-board cuts or patient co-payments. And instead use targeted strategies to reduce payments, as the President's budget states [made to the wrong person, in the wrong amount, or for the wrong reason.]"

For more information read more….

Scrubs Work Well in Home Care

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:07:20 -0700

There has always been a debate in home health care about uniforms vs. wearing street clothes for safety measures as well as ease of care. Enforcing a professional look or dress code has been one of the of the biggest arguments against street clothes. Remember, you represent your company when you go out to see your patients. You also represent yourself as a professional. Look in the mirror and be honest--- would you trust this person to be your nurse?

Another problem is that some of the homes you visit are less than ideal. How many times have you experienced the need to go straight home and shower for an hour, scouring every inch of your body before you can stop itching or imagining things crawling all over you?!! We've all been there-- or will have been there before your home care career is over. You want to burn your clothes and even scrub out your mouth and nose. Who knows what you have contaminated your car with.

Scrubs offer a great option. They are professional and yet commonplace enough not to draw undue attention to you in the community as you get to your patient's homes. They can be laundered in strong detergents and hot water, and unlike your nice personal attire, not be ruined.

New Home Health Care Legislation Needs YOUR Support!

Thu, 23 Jun 2011 14:40:30 -0700

Home Health Care Planning Improvement companion bills have been introduced in both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate to bring Medicare into the 21st century and allow APRNs (NPs, CNS, and Nurse Midwives) as well a Physician Assistants (PAs) to certify patients for home health care and to sign the Plan of Care as well as supplemental orders.

HR2267 was introduced in the House by Representatives Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Greg Walden (R-OR). The Senate bill (S227) was introduced by Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Kent Conrad (D-ND).

Please take a moment to write to your Senators and Representatives asking them to support these bills. The American Nurses Association has made it simple to email or send snail mail to your Congressional reps with a canned email message that you can edit if you you prefer and send directly from the ANA site.

Join us on FACEBOOK

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 17:02:46 -0700

We have a new page set up on Facebook. Join us and make new friends in the home health industry. Share your experiences and get answers to your burning questions. This link replaces our mailing list on Yahoo.

Thanks,

Kathy

Check Out This Nurses Bag

Fri, 13 May 2011 16:02:39 -0700

This bag looks like a winner for home health nurses. It has an optional insert as well as an optional kit for organizing lab tubes and phlebotomy equipment. Check them out and if you purchase, please tell them you found the info on our site.

Happy Nurses Day and Nurses Week!

Fri, 06 May 2011 12:03:05 -0700

Photos from Microsoft.com

Face to Face MD visits for Home Health and Hospice

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:44:41 -0800

Reminder.... beginning January 1, 2011, all patients being recertified or admitted to home health care have to have face-to-face visits from a physician or NP to certify that the patient meets criteria.

In hospice, patients being recertified from the 3rd certification (benefit) period onward need to be seen by a hospice physician or NP to attest to the fact that the patient continues to meet criteria each cert period.

Here are some links to information about these changes which were mandated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This link takes you to CMS to read the Federal Register about the changes.

Health Care is Going Home

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:34:03 -0700

A new commentary in the New England Journal of Medicine points out the wave of the future being home health care. Didn't we already know this? Oh well, maybe more docs will catch on more now....

Another VNA Celebrates 100 Years of Service!

Thu, 01 Jul 2010 10:31:57 -0700

In Pioneer Valley in western Massachusetts, residents have had VNA services for 100 years and still going strong. Read more about this great agency and some of their patients as they celebrate a huge milestone in home health care.

As the population ages and medicine and technology advances, we all know that home health care and hospice is going to BOOM. With heartwarming stories like this one, we have much to aspire to in providing long term quality care to all of our patients. Many THANKS to all who help home health and hospice the BEST place to be cared for!!!

Help Celebrate Nurses Week.... Call Your Legislators

Fri, 07 May 2010 11:01:19 -0700

HAPPY NURSES WEEK!!!!!

Long overdue is the right for Advance Practice nurses to order home health care for their patients. Currently there is legislation in the House (HR4993) and Senate (S2814) to allow NPs, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Nurse Midwifes, and other health professionals to sign orders for care for their patients.

In honor of Nurses Week, take time to do something to promote your profession by calling or emailing your Congressmen and asking them to co-sponsor and support these bills.

FREE Seminar on OASIS C

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:48:07 -0700

The Home Care Information Network (HCIN) and MED PASS have partnered with coding expert Lisa Selman-Holman to offer a FREE 2-Part 90-minute seminar on OASIS C. In just over 60 days this new OASIS tool begins. Are you ready? Check out some of the most important changes coming with this FREE seminar.

Educational Materials Available

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 15:08:49 -0700

I spent a large portion of the summer working on some products for SupportForNurses.com. The new e-Toolkit, may be of interest to staff educators. It covers many of the mandates from Medicare regarding DO NOT PAY lists and reimbursement issues. While these may not directly affect home health, they do indirectly as a continuum of care. This can be especially true of patients with deubs. Where did they develop? Accurate documentation and communication is essential to reimbursement and will affect your staff. How useful is the Transfer OASIS to the hospital staff? And why should you follow through on faxing it to them?

The toolkit is designed so that it can be presented in modules and therefore those modules that aren't as relevant can be skipped over or just the highlights pointed out. Check it out. There are also some great e-booklets that may also be of use to your nurses. The links can be found on TheNursingSIteBlog.

A New Blog... AboutAgingParents.com

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:32:16 -0700

I just launched my newest blog AboutAgingParents.com which is for and about caregivers caring for their aging relatives or friends. Please check it out and give me your feedback, ideas and share your own experiences with our readers.

FREE Caregiving Telesummit

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:08:26 -0700

I am participating in a Free Telesummit for Caregivers called Beyond Coping Telesummit which will be available online from Aug 3-14.

My presentation on How Home Health Care Can Assist is on

Saturday Aug. 8 at Noon.

Here's more information:

TELESUMMIT SCHEDULE AND FRE.E REGISTRATION

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WHEN: Aug 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 2009

EXPERTS: Tonia Boterf, Denise Brown, Barbara Freisner, Andrew Mayoras, Danielle Miller, Kathy Quan, Hueina Su, Shelley Webb, Brian Willie, and Jason Young

To learn more about this virtual event, its speakers and how to register, visit:

Beyond Coping Telesummit

Once you register, all the details about attending the calls will be emailed to you.

__________________________________________________________________________________

CAN'T ATTEND AT THE SCHEDULED CALL TIME?

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That's not a problem because all the calls will be recorded and each will be available for 24 hours after it is completed. You'll also be able to RElisten in case there was something you wanted to hear again.

We also understand that you may want to listen several times or have the information available for family and friends to listen, so besides recording the calls, we are also going to turn them into MP3 audio recordings, CDs and transcripts. You'll be able to purchase them at a very affordable price at the time of registration.

But again, the sessions themsleves are all FR.E.E to attend.

Won't you join us? Tell your patients and caregivers about this terrific program.

Here's the link to register:

Beyond Coping Telesummit

More Stats... Home Health Care is a Growing Business

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:03:17 -0700

Just in case you didn't know this, or need some statistics.... home health care is growing. Here's an article from the Milwaukee Business Journal.

AARP Supports Long Term Support Legislation

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:41:08 -0700

AARP is asking the public to join them in supporting long term support and services at home legislation as part of the health care reform process. This legislation would help to reduce costs of long term care in nursing facilities and help the elderly and disabled in their own homes....someting we in home health care work to do everyday!!!
Read more...

Happy National Nurses Day and Nurses Week May 6-12

Wed, 06 May 2009 11:12:25 -0700

Nursing Shortage in Home Health Care

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:12:07 -0700

From Nursezone.com.... studies show that home health is suffering the biggest shortage of nurses right now (duh!) and that by 2016 home health nursing will surpass hospital nursing with the greatest growth in employment for nurses. Well is this news to anyone in home health???!!! We know that we have the BEST employment opportunities for nurses who can deal with the autonomy and the challenges.

Home Health Care Nurse Promotion Act of 2009

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:04:38 -0700

H.R. 1928 was introduced into the House of Representatives by Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI) and Rep. Lee Terry (R-NE) and is supported by by Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-IA), Mary Bono-Mack (R-CA) John Yarmuth (D-KY) and Madeleine Bordallo (Guam). If passed, the bill offers home health agencies who serve a disproportionate number of under insured and uninsured, the opportunity to recruit nurses with expertise in areas such as geriatric care and also offer new nurses student loan forgiveness for committing to work in community-based home health care for 2-3 years. This will help home health agencies improve the quality of care for all patients they serve.

In an article on Medical News Today, the VNAA was quoted in supporting and applauding this effort.

Please take time to write your Representative today to support this bill.