Health Literacy Challenges Increase Costs, Client Concerns

Nearly nine out of 10 adults in the U.S. need help with health literacy. This makes it difficult to understand health coverage and navigate the complex health care system, leading to increased costs and adverse outcomes. This tends to be the case for home care beneficiaries, or potential home care beneficiaries, too. “Health literacy is […]

Discrepancies In Home Health Enrollment Data Raise Red Flags In Congressional Hearing

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra fielded questions in a House Ways & Means committee hearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday, a few of which were pointed at concerns around potential fraud in home health. Rep. Michelle Steel (R-Calif.) grilled the secretary about an apparent lack of progress on curbing certifications […]

CMS To Publicly Release All Ownership Info Of Home Health, Hospice Agencies

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is making ownership data for all Medicare-certified home health and hospice agencies publicly available. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the news early Thursday. Anyone can now review “detailed information on the ownership of more than 6,000 hospices and 11,000 home health agencies,” […]

Lawsuit Filed Against HHS Over Home Health Care Shortcomings Dismissed

The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia has dismissed a class action lawsuit that accused the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of failing to properly administer the Medicare home health benefit. The plaintiffs had argued the home health services required under Medicare law were wholly insufficient. Medicare law authorizes coverage […]

HHS Committee Pushes For Further PACE Expansion

A new report from the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services could be the first step in further expanding the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) model nationwide. Specifically, the committee believes that expanding PACE to more rural parts of the U.S. will help close gaps in long-term care. “[We] […]