Open Enrollment Starts 10/15. Are You Ready for Open Enrollment? Prepare by Previewing 2023 Health and Drug Plans Now.

Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7, 2022. During this time, people eligible for Medicare can compare 2023 coverage options on Medicare.gov. Medicare.gov provides clear, easy-to-use information, as well as an updated Medicare Plan Finder, to allow people to compare options for health and drug coverage, which may change from year to year.

Medicare Plan Finder was updated with the 2023 Medicare health and prescription drug plan information on Saturday, October 1, 2022 to allow people to begin previewing health and drug plans before the enrollment period opens on October 15. 1-800-MEDICARE is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide help in English and Spanish as well as language support in over 200 languages. People who want to keep their current Medicare coverage do not need to re-enroll.

To view options for health and drug coverage, please visit the Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov.
 

CMS Seeking to Create National Directory of Health Care Providers, Services

Home Health Care News | By Andrew Donlan
 
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Wednesday released a request for information regarding the creation of a “national directory of health care providers and services.”
 
The effort – a major undertaking – could eventually lead to a new database that better connects home health agencies to patients, payers and other stakeholders. 
Specifically, the agency is seeking public input on what a directory of this kind would do for providers and patients. In essence, CMS sees it as a centralized system of provider and patient information that would facilitate care coordination, health information exchange and data reporting efforts.
 
In theory, it sounds like exactly what health care experts – both in and outside of home-based care – have been pining for over recent years. Data, reporting and health care information at large remains fragmented, which has resulted in “interoperability” becoming a buzz word. 
CMS believes the directory would be of help in its efforts to improve access to care, reduce clinician burden and support that interoperability throughout health care. 
 
“Easy access to accurate and useful provider directory information is critical for patients trying to find health care that best meets their individualized needs and preferences,” CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure said in a statement. “CMS is seeking comment on how a National Directory of Health Care Providers and Services could better serve patients and reduce unnecessary burden placed on providers to maintain dozens of separate directories.”
The request-for-information period will be open until Dec. 6, 2022. 
 
“CMS is specifically requesting public feedback on the [directory] concept and potential benefits, provider types, entities and data elements that could be included to create value for the health care industry, the technical framework for a [directory], priorities for a possible phased implementation, and prerequisites and actions CMS should consider taking to address potential challenges and risks,” the CMS release read. 
 
CMS would obviously lead the directory. The agency also says the directory would utilize a “modern interoperable” technology that would allow payers to update their own directories from a single directory through an application programming interface (API).
 
Part of what the agency touted in its description of the directory is the enhancements it could make in the provider-payer relationship. 
 
As managed care gets more involved in both home health and home care – and agencies look to get into value-based care through risk-sharing with these plans – data sharing has become a major topic of conversation. 

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Webinar: Walking Each Other Home: Working Toward High-Value Care at End of Life

Thursday, October 20th, 2022 (12pm-1pm MT) 

In conjunction with the State of Colorado and other partners, CIVHC is using CO APCD data to identify evidence-based opportunities to improve the quality of end-of-life care while reducing costs. The study is also aiming to increase access to hospice and palliative care services that are known to improve quality of life for both patients and caregivers. During this webinar members of CIVHC’s Analytic and Reporting as well as Advance Care Planning teams will present findings of the analysis.

Learning Objectives:

  • Have a basic understanding of Advance Care Planning and Palliative Care.
  • Understanding of the EOL project and how it is being used to improve health.

Register Here for Free
 

Expanded HHVBP Model: Live Encore IPR/APR Event Registration and September FAQs Now Available

Expanded HHVBP Model: Registration Now Available! Encore Presentation – Navigating Performance Feedback Reports: Interim Performance Report (IPR) and Annual Performance Report (APR) – Tuesday, October 11, 2:00 pm ET

On October 11th from 2:00 pm ET – 3:00 pm ET, the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Technical Assistance (TA) Team will present a live encore presentation of the August 25th webinar: Navigating Performance Feedback Reports: Interim Performance Report (IPR) and Annual Performance Report (APR). The encore presentation will contain the same content from the first webinar. This event will also include a live Q&A session.

Register today at: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_e5u1sYo1SdyFs1UqiN6nUw

**Prior to attending, HHAs should review and download the sample IPR and sample APR now available on iQIES. Instructions on how to access the sample reports are available on the Expanded HHVBP Model webpage, under “Model Reports.” If possible, please join 5-10 minutes early.**

Shortly after the live event, an audio recording and the transcript will be available on the Expanded HHVBP Model webpage. The slide deck and recording from the August 25th webinar is now available under “Model Reports.” This slide deck will be the same used for the October 11th event.

For questions, email the Expanded HHVBP Model Help Desk at [email protected].
 

Home Health Care Among Settings Where Masks No Longer Required, CDC Says

Home Health Care News | By Patrick Filbin

Workers in home health care, nursing homes, hospitals and other health care settings are no longer required to wear masks indoors.

Late Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidance that ended a blanket indoor mask requirement that had been in effect for the last two and a half years.

The guidance was part of the CDC’s revisions to the agency’s COVID-19 recommendations, one of the final sets of changes that began in August.

The CDC recently reported that just over 73% of counties in the U.S. have “high” COVID transmission levels. About 27% of counties meet the substantial, moderate or low categories.

Since early in the pandemic, the CDC has urged people in the U.S. to wear masks – what the agency calls “source control” – while in health care settings.

The new guidelines apply to nursing homes, home health facilities and hospitals. The guidelines do not apply to restaurants and other non-health care environments.

“Updates were made to reflect the high levels of vaccine- and infection-induced immunity and the availability of effective treatments and prevention tools,” the CDC’s new guidance reads.

Even though masks are no longer required in facilities where transmission is not high, the CDC still recommends they be worn:

  • If someone has a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 or other respiratory infection
  • If someone has close contact or a higher-risk exposure with someone who had COVID-19 for 10 days after their exposure
  • If someone lives or works somewhere that is experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak (in this case, universal mask wearing can stop once no new cases have been identified for 14 days)
  • If mask wearing is recommended by local public health authorities

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