You're receiving this email because of your relationship with the Office of Inspector General, Division of Health Care. Thank you for your continued commitment to serving the citizens of our Commonwealth!
Cabinet for Health & Family Services
Office of Inspector General
Division of Health Care
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Home Health Agency Newsletter
May 2020
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The Kentucky Office of Inspector General is committed to the protection of patients and residents of healthcare facilities from the spread of infectious disease. Regarding any coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, you may refer to the following website for the most up-to-date news and information:
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Known Issue with iQIES User Tool
The CMS HHA Survey Protocols Team shared a recently discovered issue in iQIES for Home Health Agencies who use the iQIES user tool to create and submit their OASIS assessments. The issue does not affect assessment submissions uploaded to iQIES via xml. However, some HHA users who use the iQIES user tool to create and submit their OASIS assessments had their claims Returned to the Provider (RTP) for FISS reason code 37253, for claims submitted between January and April 2020. The issue was identified with the storage of the MBI in the iQIES database which impacted the claims match process. The issue has been corrected.
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Home Health Compare Quarterly Refresh
The April 2020 quarterly Home Health (HH) Compare refresh is now available on the
Home Health Compare website
. Please visit to view the new and updated quality data.
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Home Health Star Ratings
Starting with the April 2020 Home Health Compare refresh, the Improvement in Pain Interfering with Activity measure will be removed from the QoPC Star Ratings. Provider Preview Reports showed these changes in January 2020. The data reporting period for the April 2020 refresh will be July 1, 2018, to June 30, 2019, for OASIS-based measures and CY 2018 for the claims-based measure. This change was made because the Improvement in Pain Interfering with Activity will be removed from the Home Health Quality Reporting Program per the CY2020 Final Home Health Prospective Payment System Rule.
Effective January 1, 2020, CMS is processing all Home Health OASIS submissions and all reporting requirements through iQIES. Due to unforeseen circumstances, CMS has determined that there will not be a refresh for the Compare site in July 2020. Thus, CMS did not release the Home Health Provider Preview Report for the July 2020 refresh in March. The next scheduled refresh for the Compare site will be in October 2020. The publicly reported home health data published for April 2020 will remain in place until the October 2020 refresh. Home health providers can look forward to receiving their next Provider Preview Report in late June of 2020 for the October 2020 Compare site refresh. If there are questions or concerns regarding the information provided above please contact CMS at
iqies@cms.hhs.gov
.
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Delayed: Release of Updated Version of the Home Health Assessment Instrument
CMS is delaying the release of the updated version of the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) needed to support the Transfer of Health (TOH) Information Quality Measures and new or revised Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements (SPADEs) in order to provide maximum flexibilities for providers of Home Health Agencies (HHAs) to respond to the COVID-19 Pubic Health Emergency (PHE).
The release of the updated version of the OASIS will be delayed until January 1st of the year that is at least 1 full calendar year after the end of the COVID-19 PHE. For example, if the COVID-19 PHE ends on September, 20, 2020, HHAs will be required to begin collecting data using the updated versions of the item sets beginning with patients discharged on January 1, 2022.
Following the PHE, CMS will announce training opportunities for providers via this webpage and announcements sent out via email distribution lists and posted on the Medicare Learning Network.
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Updated Quarterly OASIS Q&As
April 2020 OASIS Q&A's are available in the OASIS Quarterly Q&As section of the CMS
QTSO
webpage.
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OASIS Answers Home Health Training Webinars
The OASIS Answers, Inc. (OAI) "Just in Time" monthly home health training webinars are designed to provide the most innovative training to your clinicians, clinical leaders, quality improvement teams and auditors. These sessions will ensure that you are aware of and know how to apply the most recent, most relevant, and most accurate CMS home health information. Monthly topics are based on the issues that are most pertinent to agencies for the month and will be driven by CMS updates or changes that are critical to agency success.
Upcoming sessions are available in either a Live or Recorded format. Previously aired webinars are offered as a recording only. Take a peek and see how the OASIS Answers' webinar series can supplement your organization's training!
Click
HERE
to reserve your spot!
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Interested in Serving on an IDR Panel?
Kentucky requires one member of the IDR panel to be "a person currently engaged in the provision of Home Health Agency services who has no affiliation with the provider disputing a deficiency." Typically, a Home Health Agency Director is on each IDR panel. There is no payment or travel reimbursement for a Director serving on a panel. Directors will be rotated. If a
Home Health Agency Director
is interested in serving on a panel, a confidentiality statement must be signed prior to the participation in the first IDR panel.
Chrystal Daugherty, IDR/IIDR Coordinator
Office of Inspector General
116 Commerce Ave.
London, KY 40744
Fax: (606) 330-2054
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Home Health Agency Questions and Answers
Home Health Agency (HHA) Providers can access the Home Health and OASIS Q&As and other reference manuals on the
HHA Providers Reference site
.
These Questions and their responses have been developed over many years of experience training OASIS coordinators and are currently used as part of the Home Health Agency Surveyor Training program. They can and should be used by home health agency providers in training new staff on the basics of OASIS and also as a refresher for existing staff.
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OASIS Answers, Inc.
is a team of experienced nursing and therapy professionals who concentrate their skills, experience and passion to meet the needs of clients at the state association, federal government, quality improvement organization, private industry, and individual provider levels.
Click here
for the latest information on their webinars.
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OASIS CONTACT INFORMATION
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Chrystal Daugherty
Assessment/Coding Questions
Rhonda Littleton-Roe
Transmission or Technical Questions
Sam Crossfield
HHA Licensing or Regulation Questions
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Please note:
Do not send any identifiable patient information through e-mail. This includes patient names, SSNs, dates of birth or any other data items considered identifiers or Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA. Please redact any PHI prior to sending.
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OASIS Data Specifications
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KARES
To enroll in KARES voluntarily, please click the icon above 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
.
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Click here
to visit the website or
click here
for guidance on how to verify and update home health demographic data.
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Reporting Complaints
Email addresses have been established for use by patients and the general public to report possible violations of regulatory requirements.
Click Here
for the email addresses and additional contact information based on the facility's location.
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Which Branch
is Serving You?
To provide the highest level of service, the Division of Health Care operates through four regional offices. Knowing the appropriate Branch to contact with questions and concerns will ensure you receive maximum service in minimum time. Review links below for detailed information.
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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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Medicare Learning Network
Let the Medicare Learning Network (MLN) be your home for Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) education, information, and resources.
Visit the
Medicare Learning Network
for free educational materials for health care professionals on CMS programs, policies, and initiatives.
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QSEP: Quality, Safety & Education Portal
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality, Safety & Oversight Group (QSOG) Quality, Safety & Education Division launched the
Quality, Safety & Education Portal (QSEP)
on January 6, 2020. QSEP is a replacement of the Integrated Surveyor Training Website (ISTW), providing a user-centered, self-service training portal that makes it easier than ever to take control of surveyor training via training plans and improved reporting.
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Want to Know the Top 10 Citations for Home Health Agencies?
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Sign Up for This Newsletter
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Employment Opportunities
To search and apply for positions within the Office of Inspector General, please visit the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet's web page by clicking the sign above.
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DHC Leadership Team:
Inspector General
Deputy Inspector General
Director
Assistant Director
Assistant Director
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Commonwealth of Kentucky | Office of Inspector General | 275 East Main St., Frankfort, KY 40621
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The Office of Inspector General is the regulatory and licensing agency for all health care, day care and long-term care facilities and child adoption/child-placing agencies in the commonwealth.
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