Office of Inspector General  
Division of Health Care  
Issue: #05-SE-2017

                  November 2017

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CMS Survey and Certification memoranda, guidance, clarifications and instructions to State Survey Agencies and CMS Regional Offices.

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To enroll in KARES voluntarily, please click the icon below and follow the self-directed enrollment process.
For additional information about the program, please contact the help desk at (502) 564-2159 or via email.   
 


 
  Leadership Team  
Acting Inspector General
Assistant Director

Melanie Poynter
Assistant Director

Andrea Willhite
Assistant Director

Dudley Ellis
Pharmacy Consultant



HOME HEALTH AGENCY
NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the Division of Health Care's Special Edition-November issue of the Home Health Agency Newsletter.  This newsletter is a valuable vehicle to keep you updated on current events affecting Home Health Agencies.  
 
Please feel free to share this newsletter with anyone you think would benefit.  They can continue to receive this newsletter by joining our mailing list using the link at the bottom. We look forward to serving you through this communication vehicle.  
OASIS-C2 2018 Guidance Manual Available
Memo-1 The 2018 guidance manual for the OASIS-C2 version of the OASIS data set is available in the Downloads section below and on the OASIS User Manuals webpage. This version corrects errata from the previous version and contains clarifications about the One Clinician Rule. The effective date is January 1, 2018.
jHAVEN v1.2.1
jHAVEN (Home Assessment Validation and Entry System) v1.2.1, currently available under the related links section at the bottom of this webpage, is a Java-based application which allows Home Healthcare providers to collect and maintain agency, patient and OASIS assessment data for subsequent submission to the appropriate national data repository. jHAVEN is a free software application provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Please consult the jHAVEN Installation and User Guides for additional information.

October 2017 - jHAVEN v1.2.1

jHAVEN v1.2.1 is now available for download under the related links section at the bottom of this webpage. jHAVEN v1.2.1 includes the following enhancements:
  • v6217 of the Home Health PPS Grouper (effective 10/01/2017)
  • ICD Code Grid - Manual Data Entry
OASIS Data Specifications V2.21.1
The OASIS Data Submission Specifications Version 2.21.1 are now available in the downloads section below. This FINAL version applies to the OASIS-C2 item set which is scheduled for implementation on January 1, 2018. There have been no additional changes since Errata V2.21.1.

Data Specifications
Home Health Quality Reporting
Requirements

The Home Health QRP Quick Reference Guide and other updated information can be found on the site below.


Training

Miscellaneous training options and related information are available on the site below.

Reporting Training
Quality Measures
Supplemental HH QRP materials described in the CY 2018 HH PPS Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) have been posted. The following documents can be found in the "Downloads" section:
  • Proposed Measure Specifications and Standardized Data Elements for the CY 2018 HH PPS Notice of Proposed Rule Making
  • OASIS 2019 Change Table for CY 2018 HH PPS NPRM
  • Proposed OASIS Items for CY 2018 HH PPS NPRM
Updated technical documentation for OASIS-based measures is now available in the downloads section of the site below. The specifications provide detailed information on using OASIS-C2 to calculate process, outcome and potentially-avoidable event (PAE) measures in the Home Health Quality Reporting Program and Home Health Quality Initiative, as well as patient characteristics and risk factors. The revisions to the Process and Potentially Avoidable Event documentation include edits made for clarity. The Patient Characteristics Transformations Documentation updates include specifications for low BMI, Peripheral Vascular Disease (PVD) or Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD), diabetes and mobility status at start or resumption of care.

Quality Measures
Spotlight
The CMS Spotlight website below provides recent news and updates pertinent to the Home Health Quality Initiative. On this page you will find announcements about posting of resource guides and fact sheets, the availability of Q&A documents, information about Home Health Care, among other notifications.


The site below contains updates on general Home Health Agency information.

Reporting Complaints
  
New email addresses have been established for use by patients and the general public to report possible violations of regulatory requirements.  

Each DHC Enforcement Branch has an assigned email address to receive this information.   Review the map in the above article to determine the appropriate Enforcement Branch.  Click Here for new email addresses and additional contact information.  
Which Enforcement Branch is Serving You?
  To provide  the highest level of service, the Division of Health Care operates through four regional offices. Knowing the appropriate Enforcement Branch to contact with questions and concerns will ensure you receive maximum service in minimum time.  Review links below for detailed information.
 
 
Contact Information  
OASIS Automation and Education Coordinator (OEC/OAC) Contacts
For Coding or Assessment issues:

Contact Jennifer Smith, Kentucky's OASIS Education Coordinator, by phone at 502-564-7963, extension 3301 or via e-mail . 

For Transmission or Technical Issues:

Contact Rhonda Littleton-Roe at 502-564-7963, extension 3300 or [email protected].
Surveyor Training Website
Click to view training options

This CMS website provides training information to include the preceptor manual, the State Operations Manual and other documents.

As always, the survey and certification process is a collaborative effort between CMS and providers. This website will allow providers the opportunity to take the same courses as surveyors.
Unbridled Spirit   
                                                                                                          

The Office of Inspector General is Kentucky's regulatory agency for licensing all health care, day care, long-term care facilities, and child adoption/child-placing agencies in the Commonwealth. 

If you would like more information, visit our website at chfs.ky.gov/os/oig.
  
If you have an idea for a future article, e-mail Jami Biggs at [email protected].