Did You Miss the Annual Conference in Keystone?

No problem! You can now earn CEUs with the on-demand content from the Fall Conference! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to receive up to 25 hours of state licensure CEUs - there are 25 sessions total, and each are worth one credit hour. Recorded content is NOW AVAILABLE to watch on-demand and receive continuing competency credits, and will be available through January 31, 2022.

Individuals

Individually attended the live conference and want to purchase the add-on on-demand sessions for additional CE’s:

• Click here to purchase the add-on for $50.00

If you did not attend the live 2021 conference in Keystone and would like access to the on-demand content:

• HHAC Members - $474.00
• Non-Members - $769.00
• Click here to individually purchase on-demand content.

HHS Is Releasing $9 Billion in Provider Relief Fund Payments to Support Health Care Providers Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic

On Tuesday, Dec. 14th, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced the distribution of approximately $9 billion in Provider Relief Fund (PRF) Phase 4 payments to health care providers who have experienced revenue losses and expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The average payment being announced today for small providers is $58,000, for medium providers is $289,000, and for large providers is $1.7 million. More than 69,000 providers in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and eight territories will receive Phase 4 payments. Payments will start to be made later this week.

The PRF Phase 4 payments, in addition to the $8.5 billion in American Rescue Plan (ARP) Rural payments to providers and suppliers who serve rural Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Medicare beneficiaries, are part of the $25.5 billion the Biden-Harris Administration is releasing to health care providers to recruit and retain staff, purchase masks and other supplies, modernize facilities, or other activities needed to respond to COVID-19...

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View a state-by-state breakdown of the Phase 4 payments

As providers agree to the terms and conditions of Phase 4 payments, it will be reflected on the public dataset.

For additional information, visit www.hrsa.gov/provider-relief.

Hospices Seek Clarity on Value-Based Risk

Hospice News | By Holly Vossel

When it comes to putting value-based payment arrangements in action, regulators and payers have gaps to fill in around billing and quality measurement. Some community-based hospice providers in particular have reported “tremendous confusion” regarding risk-bearing models as they look ahead to new and growing payment model demonstrations.

The first steps came with the hospice components of the value-based insurance design (VBID) demonstration, known as the Medicare Advantage (MA) hospice carve-in, which is nearing the start of its second year. Additional models taking shape include the direct contracting program and Primary Care First, among others, as well as forthcoming, yet-to-be announced demonstrations from the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI).

Hospices have been preparing for a shift to more risk- or performance-based models by honing their approaches to payer partnerships, diversifying their services and implementing new processes and technology into their workflows.

Thus far, there’s a “tremendous amount of confusion, misunderstanding and just general unclearness” in the potential financial risks within value-based care models and where hospices, particularly of where community-based providers, fit into the mold, Sara Dado, senior director of clinical programs at Lightways Hospice & Serious Illness Care, told Hospice News.

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Senate Joins House to Avert Medicare Cuts to Providers

On Thursday evening, the Senate voted 59-34 to avert looming Medicare cuts to providers, sending the legislation to President Biden's desk for signature. The bill will delay 2% cuts to Medicare rates through March 2022 and delay a separate round of 4% Medicare cuts totaling about $36 billion to 2023.

The 2% cuts are from a 2011 law that established the budget sequestration, requiring spending to be reduced across the federal government beginning in 2013. The cuts, which were paused last year in response to COVID-19, will be further delayed until April 1, after which providers will see a 1% cut until June 30, and a 2% cut thereafter until the extended expiration of sequestration (currently 2030). Health care has long advocated for the exclusion of Medicare from sequestration and will likely continue to lobby for abolishment of the law.

The 4% Medicare cuts are a result of a budget law known as PAYGO that requires increases in the deficit be offset by raising revenue or reducing spending. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 resulted in a larger budget deficit, triggering PAYGO spending reductions.

Other Medicare-related payment policies in the bill include the maintenance of a 3% pay bump for Part B providers through 2022 under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.