Assisted Living, Home Health, News, Skilled Nursing Facility

Ambulances out, share riding and alternative services in?

While it’s concerning that some people are apparently calling ride-share services like Uber when they need to get to the hospital in an emergency, others are wondering if ride-sharing or alternative services have their place in non-emergency medical transport.
Many  people call ambulances when they need treatment, even if it’s not an emergency, because they have no other transport available. A study by the University of Kansas found that as Uber entered different cities, its presence …

Home Health, Hospice, News, Payment/economy

CMS posts the third annual release of its home health, hospice Public Use File

Brought to you by Home Health Line.
CMS this month announced it has posted the latest Home Health Agency Public Use File (PUF), with data from 2015.
The PUF contains information on home health utilization, payment, submitted charges and demographic and chronic condition indicators organized by CMS Certification Number, Home Health Resource Group and state of service.
The PUF has information for 10,526 home health agencies in 2015 — 356 fewer than in 2014.
It includes more than …

Home Health, Hospice, News, Skilled Nursing Facility

IMPACT Act Transfer of Health measures: Public comment period ends May 3

CMS is developing cross-setting post-acute care quality measures on the transfer of health information and care preferences in alignment with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act). Submit comments on two draft measure specifications by May 3:

Medication Profile Transferred to Provider
Medication Profile Transferred to Patient

Visit the Public Comment webpage for more information.

Clinical concerns, News, Skilled Nursing Facility

Are SNFs turning away those with opioid addiction? And is that legal?

A new article in STAT explores whether long-term care facilities can legally turn away those seeking post-acute care who are taking medicine to treat opioid addiction. According to STAT, many nursing facilities routinely — and sometimes systematically and by policy — do not take in otherwise eligible residents for care if they are on medicines for opioid addition, such as methadone or buprenorphine.
However, experts say this violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, and that the …