RESOURCES
by Year
Find all Past Resources organized by year below.
December 2024
December FYI
FYI 24.12
Updated OASIS E-1 Resources Published!
OASIS E-1 goes into effect January 1, 2025.
CMS just released the resources needed for success!
December TOT
TOT 24.12
Health Equity Reports for Home Health
CMS is providing confidential feedback to all Home Health agencies regarding how race, ethnicity or socio-economic status impacts quality outcomes.
2024
Winter Workshop
November 2024
November FYI
24.11
November due date for Non-Discrimination Coordinator and Notices for all health care entities
November due date for compliance with the first requirements of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for both Home Health and Hospice agencies
Bonus FYI
24.11.a
2025 CMS Final Rule and Wage Index “To-Do” List
CMS published the 2025 Final Rule earlier this month. After having a couple of weeks to digest the changes, this FYI will provide you with a list of items to consider.
November TOT
24.11
Acceptance of Patients Sample Policy
CMS has issued a new survey standard requiring home health agencies to develop a specific policy on Acceptance of Patients. Use this sample policy as a tool to ensure compliance.
Subscriber Webinar
November 2024
The Home Health Final Rule: The 2025 Updates and Ask the Compliance Corner
Unveiling the changes that have been finalized for 2025, as well as the context for those changes amongst the comments and responses from CMS, we will provide a deeper understanding of how this will impact your agency’s payment and overall operations.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
October 2024
October FYI
24.10
GG training and OASIS “Scrubbers”
Home health agencies have begun more robust trainings on the GG items, as they plan for 2025 updates to HHVBP
October TOT
24.10
Your Plan for Home Health
484.60e (POC- Written information to the patient) mandates that all home health patients be provided specific information in writing. Use this tool to ensure you hit the mark for survey!
Subscriber Webinar
October 2024
Home Health under the Government Microscope
We will focus on understanding the Anti-Kickback Statute and
how it can impact your Marketing/Sales strategies.
Speaker:
RACHEL HOLD-WEISS, ESQ.
September 2024
September FYI
FYI 24.9
New Tools and Trainings for the GG items!
The Home Health Value Based Purchasing program, (HHVBP) will adopt a new functional measure: the first to incorporate the GG items! This is the time for GG education – and CMS is helping us out!
Subscriber Webinar
September 2024
Spice up your Agency Success with PEPPER!
We know that the PEPPER reports are delayed, BUT we still need to understand the impact of the data and the risk for Audits. Join us for a deep dive into the PEPPER report and help you understand how your Agency can make proactive changes.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
August 2024
August FYI
FYI 24.8
Your Agency’s first HHVBP ANNUAL Performance Report is Ready!
On August 23, 2024, CMS released the first Annual Performance reports, which provided Home Health Agencies a glimpse of their 2025 HHVBP payment impact.
August TOT
TOT 24.8
OASIS Impacts: Payment, Quality and HHVBP
OASIS impacts both payment and quality measures. This tool provides an “at a glance” key for which items impact HHVBP, Five Star and PDGM payment
Subscriber Webinar
August 2024
The Proposed Rule for HHA Payment
Each year during the height of summer CMS releases their Proposed Payment rule for HHAs. This rule typically includes the changes to payment, as well as changes in the quality reporting program and other new CMS guidance. We look forward to dissecting the proposals, reviewing areas of concern for comments, and strategies for preparing to implement the changes.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
July 2024
Subscriber Webinar
July 2024
Survey Survival
Speaker:
Maribeth Freland, RN, CHFS
June 2024
June FYI
FYI 24.6 Important Regulatory Change: Stay of Enrollment for Home Health Providers
CMS has issued a change in regulation that may result a “Stay of Enrollment” which can halt all Medicare payments, effective May 30, 2024.
June TOT
TOT 24.6 Decision tree for M1830, Bathing
CMS uses M1830 for multiple platforms, from PDGM to Five Star to HHVBP. This tool will simplify the decision-making and lead the clinician to the correct score.
Subscriber Webinar
June 2023
How YOU Impact the HHVBP Score
The Vital Role of the Field Clinician
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
2024
Summer Conference
May 2024
May FYI
FYI 24.5 Second Updated OASIS Draft
CMS has published an updated OASIS-E1 draft. In a recent development, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released an updated version of the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) E1 draft.
May TOT
TOT 24.5 Self-Audit Tool
Self-checks are essential in ensuring compliance with both survey rules (Conditions of Participation) as well as payment rules. This tool will provide a structure for your agency to perform a self-assessment of your documentation which covers both sets of rules, and note the conditions for payment.
Subscriber Webinar
May 2024
Key Elements for a Record Review for Compliance and Payments
You will survive your survey! This webinar will assist you to avoid survey deficiencies and provide you with keep elements for a successful survey.
Speaker:
Maribeth Freland RN, CHFS
April 2024
April FYI
FYI 24.4 Home Health State Operation Manual (SOM) Updated!
CMS updated the SOM last month and on April 14, 2024 has FINALIZED the CHANGES and CORRECTIONS.
April TOT
TOT 24.4 Interpretive Guidelines Final Changes
CMS finalized the updated State Operation Manual (SOM) and Interpretive Guidelines (IG) in April 2024. This tool will provide the major changes in the IGs at a glance!
Subscriber Webinar
April 2024
Assessment of Organizational Health and Worker Retention
Inspired by the recent CDC report on the negative health outcomes for healthcare workers.
Speaker:
Barbara Ivanko, LCSW
March 2024
March FYI
FYI 24.3: Home Health State Operation
Manual Updated!
CMS updated the State Operations Manual (SOM) and Interpretive Guidelines for the first time in FOUR
YEARS!
March TOT
TOT 24.3 How to Calculate your CAHPS Top Box Score
This tool simplifies how the responses in your Home Health CAHPS surveys are categorized—and when the responses impact your CAHPS Five Star score and your Home Health Value Based Purchasing (HHVBP) positively or negatively.
Subscriber Webinar
March 2024
Don’t leave your ADRs to Luck
Why are we still having poor audits? We will provide tools and strategies to ensure that your documentation is ready and will protect your payment.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
February 2024
February FYI
FYI 24.2
OIG Compliance Updates and Resources
Get your Compliance Programs Ready! The OIG updated their General Compliance Program Guidance late in 2023 and promised that in 2024, we would start to see the provider specific guideline updates.
February TOT
TOT 24.2
Compliance Program Self Assessment
The OIG updated the General Compliance Program Guidance late in 2023. This guide is to be used by all health care entities, including Home Health and Hospice agencies to ensure their agencies are mitigating potential risks to compliance. This tool provides an overview that can provide tasks for self-assessment of your agency’s current compliance program.
Subscriber Webinar
February 2024
Are you STILL Struggling with F2F?
We will review samples of accurate F2F encounters and show you how to train your staff to know the difference.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
January 2024
January FYI
FYI 24.1 – OASIS-E1 Draft Published and other OASIS updates
MS published the OASIS E-1 draft, along with several other OASIS updates!
January TOT
TOT 24.1 – Example of Performance Improvement Plan for Acute Care Hospitalizations
QAPI regulations mandate at least one Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) yearly. This example looks at one of our toughest areas to improve- rehospitalizations.
Subscriber Webinar
January 2024
Where are we NOW with HHVBP
We will review the updated HHVBP in detail and help you assess your agency’s process.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
December 2023
December FYI
FYI 23.12 Review and Correct Reports – Check on your scores before CMS takes them public!
CMS step-by-step instructions on how to review and correct your agency data before it is published on Care Compare!
December TOT
TOT 23.12 GG Items Impacting the Discharge Function Score for HHVBP in 2025
CMS finalized the changing measures used in 2025 HHVBP, and the area of functional improvement is being turned upside down! This tool is a great at-a-glance reference of specific GG items used in this measure and will assist your agency to plan where to aim your training for the new Discharge Function measure.
2023
Winter Workshop
November 2023
November FYI
23.11: CMS releases the 2024 FINAL rule!
The 2024 Final Rule provides a small increase in pay, as well as the promised changes to HHVBP, HQRP and OASIS for 2025.
November TOT
23.11: HHVBP Item Weights 2024-2025
CMS has finalized a change in the measures used in 2025 HHVBP and the weights applied to each measure. This tool will provide a great at-a-glance reference, to see where our resources and training should be aimed at!
Subscriber Webinar
November 2023
Audits – Who, What, When, Where, and Why of Home Health Audits
Speaker:
Rachel Hold-Weiss, Esq
October 2023
October FYI
23.10
NEW Potentially Preventable Hospitalization (PPH) measure is now Public on Care Compare
The new home health claims based quality reporting measure, PPH, is now on CMS Care Compare!
October TOT
23.10 Collaboration at Discharge – Planned or Unplanned
CMS encourages clinicians to collaborate at discharge, as this may save your outcomes with an unplanned discharge. It is always difficult when the clinician is unable to assess the patient at discharge. This tool, which is based on CMS guidance, will lead you to the correct and compliant answers with collaboration.
Subscriber Webinar
October 2023
Tools for Audit Success
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
September 2023
September FYI
FYI 23.9 – Tripped up on Falls?!
The OIG recently released a study that finds that home health agencies are getting tripped up on reporting their patient falls!
September TOT
TOT 23.9 – Who Can Answer This Question?
A guide to how to gather the OASIS information accurately, per CMS
Subscriber Webinar
September 2023
Review of the Complete Survey Process
This session will cover the top citations across the nation and discuss strategies to prepare you, from the administrative duties to the home health aide care plan!
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
August 2023
August FYI
FYI 23.8 – CMS leaning into GG Functional scores
CMS has proposed to move to the GG items (GG0130 and GG0170) to create the functional measure scores used in the future for both Home Health Value Based Purchasing (HHVBP) and for consumer reports on Care Compare.
August TOT
TOT 23.8 – GG Self-Care and Mobility Activities
This tool includes the 6-Point Scale and Activity Not Attempted Codes.
Subscriber Webinar
August 2023
The 2024 Proposed Rule for Home Health Payment
This rule typically includes the changes to payment, as well as changes in the quality reporting program and other new CMS guidance.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
July 2023
July FYI
FYI 23.7 Proposed rule brings changes to payment,
OASIS, HHVBP and more!
CMS released the proposed rule on 6/30/23. Each year, near the first of July, CMS updates the home health payments for the next calendar year and may add changes to quality and/or COP rules. This year, the industry saw plenty of those “additional changes”! The public is now allowed a 60 day comment period. CMS must address all comments and finalize the rule, typically near the first of November.
July TOT
TOT 23.7 Your Plan for Home Health Care
This tool is to simplify the process and meet compliance requirements for 484.60e, “Written information to the patient”. Home health agencies need to provide this information upon initiation of care and update it as necessary throughout care.
Subscriber Webinar
July 2023
Spice up Your Agency Focus with PEPPER
Every July CMS provides a new PEPPER report for HHAs to review their own data. This data is based on payment issues and may have an impact on your risk for oversight and audits- from the MACs to the RACs or even UPIC.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
June 2023
June FYI
FYI 23.6 – CMS Lifts COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
CMS has rescinded the COVID-19 vaccine mandate regulations.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
June TOT
TOT 23.6 – Survey Preparation Guide
This tool is a step-by-step guide to having everything at your fingertips that surveyors will require when they arrive at your agency! Use this checklist for preparation for your next survey- and to be survey ready, EVERYDAY!
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below
Subscriber Webinar
June 2023
How YOU Impact the HHVBP Score
The Vital Role of the Field Clinician
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
2023
Summer Conference
May 2023
May FYI
FYI 23.5 – To Mask- or Not to Mask? Updated CMS Guidance for End of PHE
CMS and the CDC have provided additional clarifications on masking and the impact to agencies now that the PHE has ended. CDC and CMS have provided agencies with some “final guidance”- and promises more to come.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
May TOT
TOT 23.5 – Ambulation Decision Tree
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below.
Subscriber Webinar
May 2023
Top 10 Survey Citations
This webinar will assist you to avoid survey deficiencies and understand what went wrong.
Speaker:
Maribeth Freland RN, CHFS
April 2023
April FYI
FYI 23.4 – Care Compare is REFRESHED!
CMS has updated the Care Compare website with updated data and quality scores! Each quarter CMS updates the “Care Compare” website, where consumers and providers can go to see their quality scores, and be compared next to other competitors!
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
April TOT
TOT 23.4 – Compliance Updates after End of PHE
TOT 23.4.a – Medicare Telehealth Post-Public Health Emergency (PHE)
Subscriber Webinar
April 2023
Don’t leave your ADRs to Luck!
It is not a matter of “if”, but “when” each HHA must face an audit. We will provide tools and strategies to ensure that your documentation is ready and will protect your payment.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
March 2023
March FYI
FYI 23.3 – Quality Exemptions when Discharging to Hospice
CMS published an update to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program Measure Calculations and Reporting User’s Manual, Version 2.0 on February 6th, 2023.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
March TOT
TOT 23.3 – Example of: DME/Supplies Included in Plan of Care
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below.
Subscriber Webinar
March 2023
The Home Health Plan of Care: Charting the course for quality and compliance
The Home Health Plan of Care is the foundation for evidence-based, quality care. Yet, this vital component remains on the list of top survey deficiencies year after year.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
February 2023
February FYI
FYI 23.2 – End to the Home Health PHE Waivers
The administration has stated that they anticipate only extending the Public Health Emergency (PHE) one more month, ending the three-year-long PHE on April 11th, 2023. In March of 2020, a PHE was enacted due to COVID-19, allowing for a number of federal waivers and flexibilities to be leveraged throughout healthcare.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below
February TOT
TOT 23.2 – PDGM Intake Form
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below.
Subscriber Webinar
February 2023
From the Top! Referral, Intake, FTF and the Admission
We all know you only get one chance to make a first impression! The referral and intake process sets the agency up for the best chance at the right admission, for the right patient and provides the right care and documentation.
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
January 2023
January FYI
FYI 23.1 – Your Agency’s Five Star Preview Report is Available!
CMS has published individual home health agency’s five star preview reports for April 2023. Each quarter, as the CMS Care Compare website is refreshed with updated five star quality data for public view, CMS also provides each home health agency with a preview of their scores to allow for review prior to publication.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
January TOT
TOT 23.1 – Where/What/When to Access
Home Health Value Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Reports
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
Subscriber Webinar
January 2023
What is Home Health Value Base Purchasing? (HHVBP)
In this webinar, we will help you to be successful in the HHVBP world. Drilling down into your outcomes and building a detailed agency process
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
December 2022
December FYI
FYI 22.12 – CMS Updates OASIS E and Guidance Manual
CMS published the final OASIS E assessment and updated the guidance manual just days away from the January 1, 2023 start date! Until December 14th, 2022, providers and vendors have been relying on the “Draft” information for training and development of EMR processes. CMS posted the updated final version of the OASIS-E Guidance Manual. Both the instrument and manual are effective for OASIS assessments with a M0090 date on or after January 1st, 2023.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
December TOT
TOT 22.12 – Cue Cards for BIMS
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below.
Subscriber Webinar
December 2022
OASIS E Overview
Speaker:
Maribeth R. Freland RN
November 2022
November FYI
FYI 22.11 – CMS Home Health Final Rule
On 10/31/22, CMS spooked us all with the publishing of the 2023 Final Payment Rule. Each year, CMS publishes a proposed rule in the summer for home health payment changes, and the Final Rule is published in October. This year, the proposals were certainly scary, with massive cuts proposed, but thankfully, CMS did not follow through with the worst of these proposals.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
November TOT
TOT 22.11 – SIMPLE D1 TO E CROSSWALK
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below.
Subscriber Webinar
November 2022
Home Health Final Rule
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
October 2022
October FYI
FYI 22.10 – The New Rehospitalization Measure
CMS is changing how their claims based quality measure of rehospitalizations will be measured and publicly reported. CMS has utilized traditional Medicare claims for over a decade now to determine a “Rehospitalization” and “Emergency Department Use” measure for home health agencies.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
October TOT
TOT 22.10 Home Health Aide Core Competencies Checklist
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below.
Subscriber Webinar
October 2022
The New Potentially Preventable Hospitalization Measure for HHAs
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
September 2022
September FYI
FYI 22.9 CMS is Offering a FREE OASIS-E
Guidance Training Program
Home Health Fundamentals is gearing up to provide support as our agencies transition to the updated OASIS E, on January 1, 2023. We suggest that you provide “just in time” training, which begins soon in October- December, to ensure the training was top of mind.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
September TOT
TOT 22.9 Example Performance Plan
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below.
August 2022
August FYI
FYI 22.8 Public Health Emergency (PHE) Extended
The Public Health Emergency (PHE) was extended for another 90 days on July 15th, 2022. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 PHE, CMS has provided blanket waivers to provide flexibilities to meet the needs of the patients being served while facing a health and staffing crisis. The PHE will continue until at least October 13th, 2022, and the flexibilities of all of the federal waivers will continue at minimum at least 60 days after the end of the PHE.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
August TOT
TOT 22.8 Home Checklist for HHCAHPS
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below.
Subscriber Webinar
August 2022
Coming Face to Face with the Home Health FTF
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
July 2022
July FYI
FYI 22.7 Social Determinants of Health
What CMS Wants to Know from YOU—and How Your Agency May Help Develop the Next Quality Process Measure
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made a request for all Home Health Agencies (HHAs) to provide insight into health equity at their agency as well as Social Determinants of Health (SDoH). The request was published in the proposal for the 2023 Medicare Home Health Benefit Payment Updates.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
July TOT
TOT 22.7 | Home Health Documentation Tool
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below.
Subscriber Webinar
July 2022
PDGM 101 & The Case Manager Impact
How the PDGM model works in your processes
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
June 2022
June FYI
FYI 22.6 Home Health Proposed Rule
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the proposal for the 2023 Medicare Home Health Benefit Payment Updates. Each year, CMS publishes a proposed payment rule in the summer, and after a 60 day comment period, will finalize the rule in the late fall. This year, the proposed rule was published on June 17th, 2022.
You can get all of the details by clicking on the link below.
June TOT
TOT 22.6 Oasis Impacts for Quality and Payment
You can download the tool by clicking on the links below.
Subscriber Webinar
June 2022
How YOU Impact the HHVBP Score
The Vital Role of the Field Clinician
Speaker:
Annette Lee, RN, MS, HCS-D, COS-C
