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Home Health Compare Tools For Medicare Beneficiaries– “”

At the White House Conference on Aging in 2015 the following statistics were presented: there were 44.7 million Americans 65 and over and 6 million aged 85 and over in 2013. Also noted was that in 2013, there were 75.9 million baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) accounting for almost one-quarter of the population, per U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates. Baby boomers began turning 65 years old in 2011. The White House conference on Aging paper also noted that between 1980 and 2013, the centenarian population more than doubled from 32,194 in 1980 to 67,347 in 2013, per U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates.

Long Term Care Final Rule – October 4, 2016 Federal Register– “”

Did you read some of the preamble in the Federal Register, which included comments from the public, and the long term care community and other stakeholders, as well as Centers of Medicare and Medicaid (CMS)’s response? I downloaded the 185-page Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 192/ Tuesday, October 4, 2016 / Rules and Regulations. It is interesting to read the comments and CMS responses.

Seniors and Consumers of Long Term Care – How to Access Information on Long Term Care:– “Home Health Compare”

Do you know that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has a wealth or I can say a ton of information on their website (http://www.Medicare.gov) to help consumers know about different aspects of the post-acute and long term healthcare delivery system in the U.S.? This includes skilled home health care, skilled nursing care, nursing care (nursing home care).

Do you know that the Administration on Aging (AOA) also has very useful information on Planning for Long Term Care their website (http://longtermcare.gov) about long term care? I am sure that as a consumer, you have a sense of what you want, you have a sense of what you need, and you have a sense of what questions you want answered; so how do you navigate the system(s) to get the right information to meet your specific needs at a point in time? READ MORE

Long Term Care Industry Trend – SNFs & NFs– “Home Health Compare”

As we know the major drivers in our industry include: Regulatory Compliance, Quality of Care, Quality of Life, and
Safe Environment. Knowing that our industry continues to be heavily regulated, I am sure that administrators and their teams continue to work hard on the upcoming changes and new Quality Initiatives mandated by Centers of Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) and other Long Term Care stakeholders. Long term care professionals and administrators continue to place a priority on providing quality care of our residents.

Just to highlight a few of the upcoming changes and Quality Initiatives that are mandated by CMS, and that facility administrators and their teams are preparing for. (1) Five Star Quality rating – there are additional Quality Measures that have been added to both the long stay residents and short stay residents; also Payroll-Base Journal; (2) Reduction in Hospital Readmission – some facilities are coming up with innovative ways to partner with hospitals for better outcomes in reducing transfers to the hospitals; (3) QAPI – Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement – at this time almost all facilities should have converted their QAA to QAPI.

So the question is are we prepared for these upcoming changes and additions to what we do?

This tool is found on the Medicare website, http://www.medicare.gov/homehealthcompare/search.aspx . For those who have accessed the main Medicare website (www.medicare.gov) you do know that there is a mountain of information on the site. I believe I can safely say that people need help sometimes, navigating the site for the precise information they are looking for. Also because of the nature of the information, they also need to be very careful in interpreting some of the information and/or data presented. READ MORE

Tools For Elderly Home Health Care– “Home Health Compare”

For the Baby Boomer children and their Elderly loved ones who may need skilled home health care services after hospitalization, I am sure we can all appreciate the tool on the Medicare website that helps us in our decision making process. This tool is called “Home Health Compare”. It helps families and their loved ones compare quality of care in home health agencies.

This tool is found on the Medicare website, http://www.medicare.gov/homehealthcompare/search.aspx . For those who have accessed the main Medicare website (www.medicare.gov) you do know that there is a mountain of information on the site. I believe I can safely say that people need help sometimes, navigating the site for the precise information they are looking for. Also because of the nature of the information, they also need to be very careful in interpreting some of the information and/or data presented. READ MORE

CMS Updates for Home Health Care Agencies– “Home Health Compare”

Press Release Announcement from CMS on Home Health Quality Measure Per press release public comments will be due October 14, 2016 on a cross-setting post-acute care measure under the Improving Medicare Post-Acute care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act) to meet the domain of incidence of major falls, for application in home health. If you are interested in commenting on this you can visit the Public Comment webpage of Centers
of Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

This site: http://www.medicare.gov/homehealthcompare/search.aspx has a compilation of all Medicare certified home health agencies in the U.S. If you are discharged from the hospital with doctors orders for skilled home care such as, skilled nursing care, physical therapy, occupational therapy,Speech therapy, Medical Social Services, and Home Health Aide, this is for you.

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