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Cabinet for Health & Family Services
Office of Inspector General
Division of Health Care
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Home Health Agency Newsletter
March 2021
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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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GG0170G Car Transfer
The intent of GG0170G, car transfer, is to assess the patient’s ability to transfer in and out of a car or van seat on the passenger side. The performance code is to reflect the patient’s baseline ability to complete the activity, and is based on observation of activities, to the extent possible.
Question: When coding GG0170G, car transfer based on a simulation, what equipment or environmental setup would we need to have in order to make the activity similar enough to the car transfer?
Answer: The assessing clinician may, as needed, combine general observation, assessment of similar activities, patient/caregiver report, collaboration with other agency staff, and other relevant strategies to complete all GG items. In situations where specific equipment may not be available (e.g., 12 steps, a vehicle), the assessing clinician may determine that assessment of a similar activity adequately represents the patient's ability to complete the activity. This practice will serve to minimize the use of an “activity not attempted” code in favor of a performance code determined to represent the patient's status in the given self-care or mobility activity.
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Home Health Quality Reporting Training
NEW TRAINING AVAILABLE – Section J: Health Conditions: Coding the Standardized Patient Assessment Data Elements (SPADEs) Related to Falls
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a web-based training that provides an overview of the assessment and coding of the standardized patient assessment data elements (SPADEs) related to falls in Section J: Health Conditions. This 45-minute course is intended for providers in Home Health Agencies (HHAs), Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs), Long-Term Care Hospitals (LTCHs), and Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs), and is designed to be used on demand anywhere you can access a browser. The course is divided into six sections and includes interactive exercises to test your knowledge related to the assessment and coding of J1800 and J1900.
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Home Health Demographic Data
Quality data on Care Compare is updated on a quarterly basis. The data displayed on Care Compare includes demographic information, such as address, telephone number, and ownership.
Below are the steps to guide providers on how to verify and update home health demographic data.
Verify Demographic Data is Accurate
It is important for home health providers to review their Home Health and Quality of Patient Care Star Rating and Home Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) Provider Preview Reports to verify that the demographic data is accurate. Preview Reports reflect the quality measure data and home health demographic information that will be posted to Care Compare in the following quarter. Preview Reports are available in the 'My Results' folder in iQIES during the 30- day preview windows prior to each quarterly Care Compare refresh.
However, due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency HHQRP data submission requirements for the Q4 2019, Q1 2020, and Q2 2010 quarters were subject to an exception. The missing data for Q1 2020 and Q2 2020 will impact what is displayed on Care Compare; therefore, public reporting of home health agencies' data will freeze after the October 2020 refresh. This means that following the October 2020 refresh, the data publicly reported will be held constant for all refreshes in 2021, including October 2021. Further, no Provider Preview Reports will be issued for those refreshes that continue to display the constant or frozen data. For additional information on COVID-19 PHE data exemption, please see the Home Health COVID-19 Public Reporting Tip Sheet in the Downloads section of the Home Health QRP Training webpage.
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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.
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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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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Want to Know the Top 10 Citations for Home Health Agencies?
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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
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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