More than 150 representatives from home health agencies met Monday as part of a policy summit, in which they discussed the proposed CMS Home Health Groupings Model payment system, according to HomeCare.
The summit was sponsored by the Council of State Home Care Associations, which represents more than 15,000 agencies. Many home health advocates are calling for a repeal of the HHGM due to its proposed changes created without consultation from industry professionals.
CMS projects a 0.4 percent reduction in Medicare payments to home health agencies in 2018, amounting to $80 million. Furthermore, CMS' proposed HHGM would change the home health prospective payment system methodology from payment for 60-day episodes of care to 30-day periods of care beginning on or after January 1, 2019. CMS would then rely more heavily on clinical characteristics and other patient information to place 30-day periods of care into meaningful payment categories.
"Not only does the HHGM approach dramatically alter Medicare payment amounts for skilled home health services in a non-budget neutral manner, it also bases payments on patient characteristics rather than expected care needs — and seriously undermines CMS’ efforts to reduce administrative burden by replacing the historically used 60-day episodes with 30-day periods," said Vicki Hoak, former chair of the Council of State Home Care Associations.
Those at the summit also called for legislators to extend the home health rural safeguard, which is set to expire December 31. The safeguard was established in 2000 to make sure the rural elderly received necessary home care.
The comment period for the HHGM ends September 25.
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