Thinking of our Members, Colleagues, Patients, Loved Ones, and First Responders Affected by the SoCal Fires

Coalition for Compassionate Care of California | By Moore Ballentine

The staff of CCCC are watching as the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, and other fires ravage Southern California. Our hearts and thoughts are with all affected. Here are a few tangible ways you can help, even at this early stage.

Donate to:

• The California Fire Foundation: online at https://cpf.salsalabs.org/disasterrelief/index.html to provide aid and resources for both fire crews and residents.
• The American Red Cross: online at redcross.org/donate/donation.html/ to aid disaster recovery by providing emergency shelters, meals, medical care, and recovery planning services.
• Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation: online at https://supportlafd.org/donate/. The foundation is the official nonprofit of the Los Angeles City Fire Department, supporting more than 3,000 local firefighters and paramedics by providing equipment and tools to help them fight wildfires effectively. 
• The California Community Foundation: online at https://www.calfund.org/funds/wildfire-recovery-fund/ toward its Wildfire Recovery Fund to aid those affected by the fires. 

As always, in the early stages of a disaster, cash donations are more helpful than supplies or efforts to volunteer. That said, Pasadena Humane is asking for both donations (give at pasadenahumane.org/wildfirerelief) and specific supplies to help shelter animals displaced by the fire: pet food and water bowls, extra large crates, and blankets. Drop off supplies at 361 S. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena.

For information and updates, here are some helpful links, courtesy of the California Department of Aging:

• Los Angeles County Shelter Information and Locations: List of shelters in Los Angeles County.
• Sign Up to Receive Emergency Alerts
• Cal Alerts: Sends alerts about emergency situations that arise in your county.
• Alert LA County: Sends alerts from Los Angeles County about emergency situations.
• CAL FIRE Incidents Updates: Shares the latest updates on all major wildfire incidents in California.
• CAL FIRE Go! Evacuation Guide: Offers guidance for safe and efficient evacuation during wildfires. 
• LISTOS California: Provides several resources for individuals and community providers to prepare for emergencies and disasters.
• Response.ca.gov: A one-stop website for information about shelters, transportation, air quality, and more.
• Emergency Preparedness Guide: Offers guidance to help older adults and people with disabilities prepare for emergencies to ensure they stay safe before, during, and after disasters and other emergency events

Editor's note: Thank you, Coalition for Compassionate Care of California for equipping so many with this crucial information! Readers of our newsletter, please distribute and encourage your networks to support these relief efforts. Ongoing, our newsletter will be posting ways you can specifically help hospice and palliative care in these tragically impacted service areas. Please email relevant stories with URL links to [email protected]. We send support to all persons affected! 

Biden Signs Dole Act, Expanding Access And Funding For Vets’ At-Home Care

Home Health Care News | By Audrie Martin
 
Veterans will have expanded access to at-home care under a new law signed on Thursday by President Joe Biden.
 
The National PACE Association (NPA) on Friday applauded Biden’s signing of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21^st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, which will enhance veterans’ access to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) nationwide. 
 
“This bill will dramatically expand the options available to our veterans who want to age in place,” President and CEO of NPA Shawn Bloom said in a press release. “Moving forward, there are a myriad of additional actions that Congress can take to easily implement PACE for hundreds of thousands of additional seniors and their families who would benefit from PACE.” 
 
But expanded PACE access is just one component of the new law. Among its other provisions related to at-home care, the law allows the Department of Veterans Affairs to increase funding for home- and community-based care. Previously, the VA could only allocate 65% of the cost of nursing home care to a veteran receiving HCBS.
 
“This landmark legislation includes a provision that increases the amount of VA funding for in-home care to match 100% of the cost of nursing home care for veterans, a crucial victory for both veterans and their caregivers,” the Home Care Association of America (HCAOA) stated Friday in a LinkedIn post.
 
“This adjustment enables veterans to receive comprehensive home-based care equivalent in cost to institutional care, promoting veteran independence,” HCAOA said in a statement. “Notably, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs is authorized to approve expenditures exceeding 100% for veterans with conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or spinal cord injuries, ensuring that those with the most significant needs receive the support they deserve.” 
 
HCAOA, LeadingAge and several other advocacy organizations applauded Congressional lawmakers after the U.S. Senate passed the Dole Act on Dec. 13.
 
Among other points, they noted that providing care at home and in the community greatly improves the quality of life for veterans and their caregivers while also reducing health care costs for the VA. Generally, home- and community-based services (HCBS) are significantly less expensive than institutional care. 
 
Additionally, the VA has found that using HCBS not only delays the need for nursing home admission but can also help avoid such admissions altogether. This approach also reduces the risk of preventable hospitalizations.

Home Health OASIS Submission Requirements for All Patients, HHQRP Resources

Alliance Daily | Jan. 9, 2025

Effective January 1, 2025, home health agencies could voluntarily begin submitting OASIS data for all patients regardless of payer. The collection and submission of the OASIS for all patients becomes mandatory July 1, 2025.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) removed the temporary suspension of the OASIS data collection on non-Medicare/non-Medicaid home health agency patients through the CY2023 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update final rule and updated the removal in the CY2025 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update final rule. With these changes, patients who have received home care services of more than one visit in a quality episode provided by all Medicare-certified home health agencies and Medicaid home health providers in states where those agencies are required to meet the Medicare Home Health Conditions of Participation, are eligible for OASIS data collection and submission. 

There are no changes to patients excluded which are those under the age of 18, those receiving only maternity services, and those receiving only chore, housekeeping or personal care services. As stated above, there is a voluntary period prior to the mandatory implementation date of July 1, 2025.

There are many questions about the revised requirement which CMS has addressed in a Q&A document. CMS has also released a Fact Sheet and provided guidance on the provision of the OASIS privacy notice. Specifically, effective January 1, 2025 HHAs should only provide patients with the CMS Privacy Act Statement and Attachment A – Statement of Patient Privacy Rights.  Attachment C – Notice About Privacy for Patients Who Don’t Have Medicare or Medicaid should not be provided to patients. These forms are available on the Home Health Agency Center webpage in the OASIS section. Both documents are available in English and Spanish.

In addition to these OASIS resources, CMS has also posted updated introductory courses to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HHQRP). This series of courses is helpful for those new to the HHQRP as well as those interested in a refresher.

URGENT: Telehealth Flexibilities for Home Health Face-to-Face Encounter

Alliance Daily | Jan. 9, 2025

In the January 8, 2025 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Home Health, Hospice, & DME Open Door Forum (ODF), CMS erred in its response to a question about the use of telehealth for the home health face-to-face encounter.  Specifically, CMS asserted that telehealth could not be used for the home health face-to-face encounter and that it must be completed in person. This is not correct.

As previously reported, the waiver of the geographic and originating site restrictions allowing for the home health face-to-face encounter to be performed via telehealth in the patient’s home and in any geographic location was extended until March 31, 2025 as part of the American Relief Act 2025. While the fight continues to extend or make permanent this flexibility, and that for hospice, telehealth may be used for the face-to-face encounter at this time. The Alliance has requested CMS make a correction.