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
November 2022
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Posting of the Calendar Year 2023 Home Health
The calendar year 2023 Home Health Prospective Payment System Final Rule was published on October 31, 2022. The following are the Home Health Quality Reporting Program proposals have been finalized: CMS finalized a proposal to end the suspension of the collection of Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) data on non-Medicare/non-Medicaid patients under section 704 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, and to require HHAs to report all-payer OASIS data for purposes of the HH QRP, beginning January 1, 2025. CMS has also finalized updates to regulatory text to consolidate statutory references to data submission and to codify in regulations the HH QRP measure removal factors previously finalized via rulemaking.
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Updated Provider Demographic Data Process
CMS will be transitioning to a new data source for a provider’s demographic data for all five Post-Acute Care (PAC) provider types (Skilled Nursing Facilities / Nursing Facilities (SNF/NFs), Home Health Agencies (HHAs), Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs), Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs) and Hospices). These demographic data include such items as the provider name, provider-mailing address, provider physical address, State, ZIP Code, etc. These provider demographic data are displayed on the Provider and Quality Measure reports generated from the Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES) Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) Reporting application for SNF/NF and Hospice providers and reports generated from Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) for HHA, IRF, and LTCH providers. Additionally, these same demographic data are displayed on the public reporting websites such as the Provider Data Catalog (PDC).
Historically provider demographic data have been maintained in the Automated Survey Processing Environment or ASPEN software; however, CMS will be transitioning to use the demographic information from Provider Enrollment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS). While this transition is underway, a final date when all demographic data will be obtained from PECOS has not been identified. During this transition, all PAC providers will be responsible to ensure their latest demographic data are updated and available in both ASPEN (SNF/NFs, IRFs, and LTCHs) or iQIES (HHAs and Hospices) and PECOS systems.
A referencing document that outlines the steps each PAC provider should follow can be accessed in the Downloads section of this webpage. Should you have questions regarding this updated process, please contact the iQIES help desk by email at iQIES@cms.hhs.gov or by phone at (800) 339-9313.
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Posting of the Calendar Year 2023 Home Health
The calendar year 2023 Home Health Prospective Payment System Final Rule was published on October 31, 2022. The following are the Home Health Quality Reporting Program proposals have been finalized: CMS finalized a proposal to end the suspension of the collection of Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) data on non-Medicare/non-Medicaid patients under section 704 of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003, and to require HHAs to report all-payer OASIS data for purposes of the HH QRP, beginning January 1, 2025. CMS has also finalized updates to regulatory text to consolidate statutory references to data submission and to codify in regulations the HH QRP measure removal factors previously finalized via rulemaking.
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POST-EVENT MATERIALS AVAILABLE:
The Home Health OASIS-E Guidance Training Program
Post-event materials are now available for the Home Health OASIS-E Guidance Training Program. These materials include the recorded workshop sessions, PDF versions of the workshop presentations, and a post-event Q&A document.
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Updated Quarterly OASIS Q&As
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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.
Jennifer Smith, RN
RAI/Oasis/IDR-IIDR Coordinator
Office of Inspector General
Division of Health Care
275 E. Main St., 5E-A
Frankfort, KY 40621
Fax: (502) 564-6546
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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 |
For questions regarding OASIS Assessment, Coding, Transmission or Technical Issues,
For questions regarding HHA Licensing or Regulations,
contact Rose Thompson via e-mail.
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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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Quality, Safety & Education Portal
CMS's QSEP provides the full curriculum of surveyor training and guidance on health care facility regulations. All training is available on-demand on a top-notch self-service portal. 24/7 access means you have the freedom to learn what you want, where you want, when you want.
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Sign Up for This Newsletter
If you have received a copy of this newsletter from a friend or co-worker, you can click on the Sign Up button to enter your information and join our mailing list.
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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
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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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