Even before the coronavirus hit, cash flow was poised to be a problem for home health providers in 2020. The Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) shortened home health billing periods from 60 days to 30, creating a cash flow crunch for agencies during their first few months under the new model, which took effect Jan. 1. […]
Smaller home-based care agencies could be forced to close their doors as a result of the coronavirus, creating merger-and-acquisition opportunities for larger providers in the space. However, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) adds a new layer of complexity to some of those M&A opportunities, specifically if an acquisition target is the recipient of a PPP […]
Pre-coronavirus, the home health and home care industries were already poised for historic consolidation, thanks to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), rising minimum wages and other operational pressures. Industry leaders predict that the COVID-19 emergency will only drive M&A further going forward. However, home-based care businesses interested in picking up new agencies should heed caution, […]
The coronavirus could be the match that finally sparks the Medicare Advantage (MA) boom for home care. The explosion has been a long time coming. It all started when the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) first expanded the scope of MA supplemental benefits in April 2018. The move opened the door for MA […]
More than six months have passed since the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM) took effect. Despite the ample runway, many home health providers are seemingly still adjusting their therapy strategies, prolonging the initial layoffs, pay cuts and furloughs that took place at the beginning of the year. The coronavirus is largely to blame for the continued […]
More than half of all accountable care organizations (ACOs) deliver home-based care to their patients, while an additional 17% have new home visit programs in the works. That’s according to a recent survey of National Association of ACOs (NAACOS) members, conducted in conjunction with the Institute for Accountable Care (IAC) and West Health Institute. Washington, […]
Computer manufacturing company Lenovo is rolling out a new home-based virtual care solution designed to build compliance among patients with chronic conditions, many of whom are seniors. It’s doing so in partnership with Vianova Health, which created the virtual health assistant used in the new technology. While telehealth technology has become essential amid COVID-19, Lenovo […]
In the first three months of the year when home health agencies were adjusting to the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), the national low-utilization payment adjustment (LUPA) rate hit 9.5%. LUPA rates reached their height in March, when the coronavirus took the U.S. by storm. Those were just a couple key takeaways from a BlackTree Healthcare […]
Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) is rolling out a new remote monitoring feature designed to help doctors care for the aging population. The capability allows the Apple watch and iPhone to track mobility metrics such as low-range cardio, walking speed, six-minute walk distance and step length, among other metrics. The new features — designed to give doctors […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to make telehealth flexibilities for home health providers introduced in light of the coronavirus permanent. Yet providers would still be forced to provide the virtual care without payment. CMS detailed that proposal and others Thursday afternoon, along with its annual suggested update to the Medicare […]
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