March 27, 2015 ASAP

ASAP Schedule Changes, New Bonus Session on Value Based Payments at HCA’s Annual Conference April 6 is the deadline for special half-price offer – register today! HCA is adding a bonus workshop and networking opportunity to the already robust Annual Conference agenda; plus, we’ve adjusted the timing of the Annual Meeting of the Corporation and Board of Directors to better accommodate the Board and our members’ travel schedules. As previously announced, HCA’s Annual Conference will be held on May 6 and 7 in Saratoga Springs, along with our first ever half-day Leadership Institute that will be held on May 8, offered by the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). See the front page of last week’s ASAP for See BONUS p. 7

A Weekly Publication Of HCA Home Care Association of New York State

Legislative Issues  Public Policy



News

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015

NY Budget Deadline Days Away HCA keeps up pressure for home care program, policy and finance supports A new state budget is due on Wednesday, and high-level talks are expected to run through the weekend, consumed broadly with issues like teacher evaluations, a proposed minimumwage increase, ethics reforms and other prickly items that are weighing on the negotiations. Also at play is a one-time $5.4 billion cash windfall from bank settlements that lawmakers and the Governor have all See DEADLINE p. 2

House SGR Bill Extends Rural Add-on, Omits Copays; Cuts 2018 Market Basket F2F & payment relief still needed as Senate makes next move In its passage of a bill this week to overhaul the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula for physicians, the U.S. House of Representatives also adopted provisions affecting the home care community, including an HCAsought extension of the 3 percent Medicare rural add-on payment through 2017, a major victory for home health.

Inside ASAP House SGR Bill Includes Home Care Impact.....................................1 State Budget Deadline Just Days Away.............................................1 Schedule Changes and Bonus Session at Annual Conference..........1 Member Hiring Announcement............................................................3 Federal Court Affirms Lower Court Upholding Wage Parity Law ........4 New Forum Dates for ACO ‘Next Generation’ Model....................6 Application Released for ALP Beds...................................................6 Initial QIVAPP Awards Announced...................................................8 CMS Issues Revised Home Health Star Ratings.................................9 Education Updates.............................................................................10 Deadline Extended for DSRIP Implementation Plans....................11 FIDA “Passive Enrollment” to Start April 1....................................11 HRA Excess Income Office Moves....................................................11 eMedNY Posts Updated Document...............................................11 DOH, Partners Convene on Statewide Emergency Preparedness...12 PHHPC Committee Acts on Home Care Applications...................13 Home Health PEPPER Update Session Scheduled for April 30......14 OPWDD Posts BIP Grants..............................................................15 NGS Updates................................................................................15 Publications..............................................................................................................16

See SGR p. 5

Helping New Yorkers Feel Right At Home

ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

DEADLINE from p. 1 eyed for different purposes, from infrastructure investment to broadband access to health care to economic revitalization.

our advocacy agenda, which calls on state officials to: •

Increase funding for the managed care-home care payment model, and likewise ensure support in fee-for-service and episodic payments, to reflect core community support needs and system costs (like Wage Parity and overtime) in an environment of increasing financial fragility;

•

Include home care in the capital and vital-access financing pools for Health Information Technology and other purposes, parallel to the kinds of financial investments otherwise proposed in the budget for other sectors;

•

Pass reforms to institute efficiencies in the claim, billing and reimbursement process, including timely payment;

•

Move promptly on home care-managed care regulatory relief and realignment measures

With a midweek deadline, the Assembly, Senate and Governor would have to agree to and introduce actual budget legislation sometime this weekend for an on-time budget. More news about the health care components of the budget deliberations could emerge at any point during the coming hours and days, and HCA will need to move quickly in response. It is not uncommon at this critical time period for entirely new proposals to emerge out of left-field, requiring a quick review and response from the home care community. On a proactive level, HCA’s advocacy and policy team remain in regular contact with legislative and Cuomo Administration offices to urge supportive home care provisions in the budget, as reflected in

ASAP is a weekly publication of the Home Care Association of New York State (HCA). Unless otherwise noted, all articles appearing in ASAP are the property of the Home Care Association of New York State. Reuse of any content within this newsletter requires permission from HCA.

President: Editor:

Joanne Cunningham, jcunningham@hcanys.org Roger L. Noyes, Director of Communications, rnoyes@hcanys.org Al Cardillo, Executive Vice President, Policy & Programs, acardillo@hcanys.org Patrick Conole, Vice President, Finance & Management, pconole@hcanys.org Andrew Koski, Vice President, Program Policy and Services, akoski@hcanys.org Laura Constable, Senior Director, Membership & Operations, lconstable@hcanys.org Lynda Schoonbeek, Director of Education, lschoonbeek@hcanys.org Mercedes Teague, Finance Manager, mteague@hcanys.org Jenny Kerbein, Director of Governance and Special Projects, jkerbein@hcanys.org Billi Hoen, Manager, Meeting and Events, bhoen@hcanys.org Teresa Brown, Administrative Assistant, tbrown@hcanys.org 388 Broadway, 4th Floor, Albany, NY 12207 Tele: 518-426-8764; Fax: 518-426-8788; Website www.hcanys.org

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ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

already in the queue as part of the state’s Home Care Regulatory Workgroup process; •

Address other critical program and fiscal recommendations, and support or modify elements of the Governor’s original budget proposals.

HCA has advanced budget language in all of these areas. Parts of this language have been included in the Assembly and Senate one-house bills. HCA is also seeking changes or refinements in the proposed budget to support home care providers and Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plans on very specific finance and policy issues like the rejection of proposed cuts/transportation carve-out from MLTC, modification of the Medicaid Global Cap, Episodic Payment System rebasing, creation of an “advanced home health aide” designation with elements needed for successful implementation, and other actions in play. The one-house budget resolutions and bills introduced by each house of the Legislature in March treat all of these issue areas differently and state leaders will have to settle these differences as part of a final, consensus agreement. A chart outlining the one-house proposals is provided on page 3 of the March 13 edition of ASAP at http:/ /www.hca-nys.org/documents/ASAP031315.pdf. We stress, however, that this process is extremely fluid, and the status of all proposals can change by the hour. We will keep the membership posted about any emerging developments that occur after ASAP press time and through the weekend. As we have repeatedly indicated, HCA urges all members to be in contact with your legislators, and with all of the members of the health budget conference committee listed in last week’s ASAP, regarding home care’s needs in this budget. For more information, please contact the HCA Policy staff.

VNA Homecare Positions

HIRING

Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement Manager is responsible for the direct implementation of the Corporate Quality Improvement Plan including the identification of care outcomes and the development of appropriate intervention action plans throughout the Certified Home Health Agency (CHHA), Licensed Home Care Services Agency (LHCSA), Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plan, and Social Adult Day Center (SADC). Qualifications: Current license as a Registered Nurse, Physical Therapist, or Occupational Therapist in New York State; Bachelor’s degree from an approved school, acceptable to the state Department of Health, Master’s Degree preferred; Two years of experience as a clinician in home and community based services. VP of Performance Excellence and Compliance Officer contributes to our success by implementing and leading global programs to maximize quality of client outcomes, efficiency of utilization, and to ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations as well as the VNA Homecare’s Code of Conduct; promotes ethical behavior, facilitates proper decision-making, and provides our partners with the tools and resources to do what is right in any context; models and acts in accordance with company guiding principles. This position supports the continuous improvement of VNA Homecare services by working with providers, collecting and analyzing data related to the quality and quantity of services provided and the effectiveness of those services in meeting clients’ needs and facilitating implementation of improvement activities. Qualifications: Master’s Degree Required (MBA, MPH, Health Service Administration or similar field); 5+ years ethics, compliance and/or business conduct experience, international program rollout and support experience; 5+ years formal quality management training/background; Home/Community Based and/or Managed Care experience preferred. To apply or learn more about these and other positions, please visit: http://477home.org/category/positions-available/

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ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

Federal Court Affirms Lower Court Ruling Upholding Wage Parity Law The U.S. Court of Appeals Second Circuit has upheld a lower court’s ruling that rejected several claims made by plaintiffs challenging the state’s Wage Parity law. In the lower court case, the plaintiffs – which included a coalition of New York agencies known as the Concerned Home Care Providers, Inc. – argued that the Wage Parity Law is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. They also charged that the law was unconstitutional under the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. In a September 25, 2013 ruling, the district court supported one of the plaintiff ’s claims, deciding that ERISA does preempt subdivision four of the Wage Parity Law “but that the remainder of the statute is neither preempted nor unconstitutional,” states today’s Court of Appeals ruling. “Setting aside subdivision four (which is not before us) we conclude that the Wage Parity Law is not preempted by ERISA,” the Court of Appeal adds. “In addition, the Law as a whole is not preempted by the NLRA, and does not violate Plaintiffs’ rights under the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. Accordingly, the judgment of the district court is affirmed.” HCA had submitted an affidavit supporting another legal challenge to the law, also filed by the Concerned Home Care Providers, in state Supreme Court. That challenge was dismissed by Acting Supreme Court Justice Roger D. McDonough on September 7, 2012. In December 2012, the plaintiffs filed an appeal of that decision in the Appellate Division, Third Department of the State Supreme Court, and HCA submitted an amicus brief in support of the appeal. In July of 2013, the State Supreme Court Appellate Division voted to uphold the state’s Wage Parity Law. HCA will examine today’s ruling in further detail to learn more about the judge’s arguments and the implications for next steps in the process, including whether the plaintiffs decide to issue an appeal. For more information, please contact a member of HCA’s Policy staff. 4

ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

SGR from p. 1 The House bill does, however, include some adverse provisions that the home care community will need to target in our advocacy with the Senate, which is now considering action on the House bill, after returning from recess on April 13. This includes the House’s adoption of a reduction to the market-basket update in 2018 for post-acute care providers and modification of the surety bond requirements (see next page). Specifically, the bill states: the “market basket percentage increase for 2018 shall be 1 percent,” effectively reducing the percentage from what would otherwise have been a 2.1 percent market-basket update. HCA has heard from members who are concerned that the legislation establishes a hard cap on the market basket. A hard cap has increasingly greater implications if the consumer pricing index – which drives the market-basket projections – is to trend higher in 2018, depending on economic conditions. HCA will continue to stress to Congress that the home care sector has been especially impacted by prior reductions in payment or reimbursement, through rebasing and other actions, as we urge the restoration of the market-basket update. We note, however, that the market-basket cap affects multiple sectors – and thus has a significant budgeting score – which complicates negotiations to change this provision. HCA presses F2F relief As reported in last week’s ASAP newsletter, Congressional negotiations over the SGR formula had opened up an important avenue for home care advocacy on payment and regulatory priorities, but it also posed enormous risks as lawmakers looked for payment offsets – like the market-basket cut – to pay for the costly SGR measure. In this process, HCA pressed Congressional offices for: mitigation of the home health face-to-face (F2F) rule; an extension of the soon-to-expire Medicare rural add-on; resistance to cuts that would add to the financial blow of Medicare rebasing; and opposition to home health beneficiary copayments. HCA sought Congressional support on all of these priorities throughout the negotiation period, and, most recently, during advocacy visits this week when HCA policy staff met with Congressional offices in Washington, D.C. while attending the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) policy conference. Also, last week, HCA issued a press statement, shared with New York’s Congressional Delegation, urging Congressional action to fix the F2F regulation at a time when Congress was considering payment and regulatory issues such as the SGR. “Short of repealing this problem regulation, the home care industry has asked, at a minimum, for Congressional action compelling CMS to streamline the face-to-face certification process,” said HCA President Joanne Cunningham in last week’s statement. “We have repeated this call in the most recent SGR negotiations as Congress considered a fix to the physician fee schedule.” The House SGR bill does change the face-to-face rule but only for the durable medical equipment (DME) community. This change simply allows DME providers to obtain face-to-face documentation from certain non-physician practitioners, mirroring the existing allowance for home health care services. More substantive relief from the face-to-face documentation mandate will remain a goal of our advocacy in the next stages of the process. The Visiting Nurse Associations of America late this week reported on its F2F efforts in the SGR negotiations, including the filing of a budget amendment to raise awareness about the face-to-face documentation 5

ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State requirements and challenges. The amendment was not brought up for consideration in the Senate but VNAA reports that the measure prompted other Senate offices to work with the amendment sponsor, Senator Ayotte (R-NH), on the issue. HCA remains in communication with the offices of Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand on a policy fix for F2F as well. In addition to pursuing the rural add-on extension and F2F mandate relief, HCA has also explained to Congress the severe financial distress occurring in home care. We urged the House and Senate to reject any further payment cuts or system costs, such as a copayment, as lawmakers sought a way of offsetting the cost of SGR payment changes for physicians. Copayments were very much on the table at the early stage of negotiations and, although rejected from the final SGR bill, they remain an ongoing threat as Congress moves to deliberate on an all-encompassing federal budget. Also of concern to home care providers, the House bill contains a modification of the home health surety bond requirements, setting the bond minimum at $50,000 and allowing Medicare to scale the bond value up commensurate with the volume of Medicare revenue in the home health agency. It is unclear when or if the Senate will take up the House SGR bill. HCA has reached out to Senate offices to ensure support for what’s favorable in the House bill (extension of the rural add-on and the omission of home health copayments) as well as to seek Senate action on areas of payment and regulatory relief, specifically the need for a F2F fix and resistance to market-basket or other payment cuts that risk home care provider viability. HCA will keep the membership apprised of further developments in this process.

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

New Forum Dates Announced for ACO ‘Next Generation’ Model The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced additional Open Door Forums on its Next Generation Accountable Care Organization (ACO). They are scheduled for March 31 and April 7. More information, including registration for these Forums and the slides from a March 17 Forum, are at http:// innovation.cms.gov/initiatives/Next-Generation-ACOModel/index.html. As highlighted in past editions of ASAP, the Next Generation ACO Model is an initiative for ACOs that are experienced in coordinating care for populations of patients. It will allow these provider groups to assume higher levels of financial risk and reward than are available under the current Pioneer Model and Shared Savings Program (MSSP). According to CMS, the goal of the Model is to test whether strong financial incentives for ACOs, coupled with tools to support better patient engagement and care management, can improve health outcomes and lower expenditures for Original Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries.

Application Released for ALP Beds This week, the state Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Care Provider Services and Oversight, Division of Adult Care Facilities/Assisted Living Surveillance announced the Assisted Living Program (ALP) 3400 Initiative. Under this initiative, DOH is requesting applications to award up to 3,400 ALP beds. This Opportunity for Development (OFD) will allow entities new to the delivery of adult home services, current adult homes new to the delivery of ALP services, and current providers of ALP services to apply for ALP beds across New York State for the remainder of the original 6,000 beds. Questions must be submitted by April 13 and applications by May 22. More information is at http://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/ assisted_living/program_application/. 6

ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

BONUS from p. 1 details on this exciting leadership program which is eligible for continuing education credits. Since most members are staying after the Annual Conference to attend the ACHE Leadership Institute program, HCA has now included a bonus workshop on Value Based Payments that will be held during breakfast that day – Friday, May 8 – prior to the ACHE program, at no additional charge. This added program will help members learn more about an emerging policy and payment priority at both the state and the national levels. You’ll hear from expert faculty on how value based payments are developed, and how home health agencies can position themselves to benefit in value based payment models. In our revised program schedule, the Annual Meeting of the Corporation will now be held on Wednesday, May 6 from 1 to 1:30 p.m., and the Board meeting will be held on Thursday, May 7, from 4:15 to 6 p.m. These meetings are open to the membership. Given that many members are staying on for the ACHE Leadership Institute, this new schedule saves on travel time to Saratoga Springs and possibly an additional hotel expense. On the night prior to the ACHE event, May 7, we have also added an additional, fun networking event – a Saratoga Pub Crawl. After dinner, join HCA staff and your peers as we visit a variety of venues that offer something for every taste. Included in the crawl will be the upscale atmosphere of wine bars, authentic brew pubs and jazzy lounges. Free drink coupons for all pub crawl participants will be issued. Watch for further details coming soon.

www.hcaannualconference.com Visit HCA’s Annual Conference website for registration, sponsor information, session summaries and more!

The remainder of the agenda will stay the same with dynamic keynote speakers and information on hot topics affecting our industry. A revised brochure is posted at the back of this week’s ASAP and at www.hcaannualconference.com. Online registration is at www.eventville.com/hcanys. Also, be sure to take advantage of rewarding your staff with the opportunity to come to the Annual Conference at half price and the Leadership Institute at the lowest possible cost. To take advantage of this offer, you must first register yourself, then submit your staff member’s registration by fax or mail (as this special offer is not available with online registration). The deadline for this offer is April 6. For further information, contact Lynda Schoonbeek at (518) 810-0656 or Lschoonbeek@hcanys.org. 7

ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

Initial QIVAPP Awards Announced DOH extends deadline for data submission The state Department of Health (DOH) has announced which Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plans and their contracted home care providers who provide aide services in New York City are eligible for the initial stateshare of Quality Incentive Vital Access Provider Pool (QIVAPP) monies. Additional federal-share awards are expected. This would come at a later date following a reconciliation process that involves further documentation-gathering by DOH and a federal approval process. The first round of state-share awardees, however, includes only those home care providers who were identified by the state as being eligible in mid-December. At that time, DOH also identified home care providers who were asked to submit additional information to support their QIVAPP eligibility. That information was not included in determining QIVAPP eligibility for this initial round of funding and will be reconciled with updated data on aide hours that DOH is now requesting for the final round of QIVAPP funds; this final round of awards is subject to approval from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In other words, home care providers who were asked to submit additional information in mid-December will not be receiving QIVAPP funds for those hours at this time, but, according to DOH, will receive QIVAPP monies for those aide services if DOH determines they are eligible – and when CMS approves its share. HCA has confirmed that MLTC plans were sent a stateshare lump-sum payment in cycle 1958 on March 18, and they have been instructed to pass through the entire amount of these funds to eligible providers by April 15. As part of the reconciliation process for the federal-share funds, DOH has also asked plans to submit an attestation form for each provider with updated hours for the period April 1, 2014 to February 28, 2015 and with projected hours for March 2015. The attestation form asks MLTC plans to verify that their contracted 8

home care provider meets all of the QIVAPP requirements. DOH has extended the deadline until May 1 for receiving this information. HCA and many plans had requested an extension to allow them the necessary time to contact their network home care providers and to obtain the required data and attestation form. Home care providers who expect to receive QIVAPP funds but have not been contacted by the MLTC plan(s) – either for an additional documentation request or to be notified about imminent payment – should still reach out to the plan(s) immediately. In addition, as reported in the March 20 ASAP, DOH has issued a written clarification about one of the criteria for QIVAPP eligibility. The clarification pertains to conflicting information in prior documents regarding the requirement that the home care provider must participate in a “specialty training program” for home health aides and personal care aides. DOH has clarified the eligibility requirement as follows: Training programs exceeding the standard 75 hours of training for HHA or the standard 40 hours of training for PCAs and/or exceed the hours of DOH annually required in-service training (not competency reviews) of 12 hours for HHA and 6 hours for PCA qualify for QIPP eligibility. The training program may meet either or both criteria to qualify. A significant number of workers must be participating in the training.

This has been posted in a Frequently Asked Questions document at http:// www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/ redesign/docs/qivapp_faq3.pdf. For more information about the initial list of QIVAPP grantees, please contact Andrew Koski at (518) 810-0662 or akoski@hcanys.org.

ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

CMS Issues Revised Home Health Star Ratings Late last week, after ASAP went to press, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued revisions to its proposed Home Health Compare Star Ratings. According to the revised documents, CMS eliminated one process measure and posted changes to its Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and methodology documents. The revised documents, along with transcripts and a recording of previous Special Open Door Forums on the Star Ratings, including one held yesterday, are at http:/ /www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/HomeHealthQualityInits/ HHQIHomeHealthStarRatings.html. As covered in previous editions of ASAP (most recently on February 6), CMS proposes to establish a star rating for home health agencies (HHAs) on Home Health Compare (HHC) and now has confirmed that the Star Ratings will be published starting July 2015. The ratings will incorporate Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) quality measurement data from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. For the acute care hospitalization measure, claims data from October 1, 2013 to September 30, 2014 will be used. HHC Star Ratings will be updated each quarter thereafter using a rolling 12-month reporting period. HHAs will have an opportunity to see their Star Rating when a preview report is posted in their Certification And Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) folder around the end of March 2015. If an HHA has evidence that the data used to calculate HHC Star Ratings are inaccurate or incomplete to a degree that would affect the star rating, the HHA may request a review of its rating. This request must include specific information and provide documentation/examples about the inaccurate or missing data and a proposed timeline for correction. Depending on the results of the review, the HHA’s HHC Star Rating may be suppressed for one reporting period, while corrections are made. HHAs will have about two and a half weeks after receiving their Preview Reports to submit review requests and supporting documentation. All Medicare-certified HHAs are potentially eligible to receive HHC Star Ratings. In addition, HHAs must have been certified for at least 6 months and must have 20 or more complete episodes of care during the 12-month reporting period for at least 5 of the 9 measures used to calculate the HHC Star Ratings to be included in the HHC Star Ratings for that reporting period. The Star Rating methodology includes 9 of the 22 currently reported process and outcome quality measures. CMS has removed one process measure (pneumococcal vaccine ever received) from the set used for the ratings. The process measures that will be used include: timely initiation of care; drug education on all medications provided to the patient; and influenza immunization received for the current flu season. The outcome measures to be used include: improvement in ambulation; improvement in bed transferring; improvement in bathing; improvement in pain interfering with activity; improvement in dyspnea; and acute care hospitalization. The methodology for calculating the HHC Star Ratings is based on a combination of individual measure rankings and the statistical significance of the difference between the performance of an individual HHA on each measure (risk-adjusted, if an outcome measure) and the performance of all HHAs. An HHA’s quality measure values are compared to the national agency median, and its rating is adjusted to reflect the differences relative to other agencies’ quality measure values. These adjusted ratings are then combined into one overall HHC Star Rating that summarizes each of the 9 individual measures. HCA plans further review and analysis of the star rating model at our upcoming quality committee meeting in late April. Advance comments from the membership are welcomed and encouraged. Please send them to Al Cardillo at acardillo@hcanys.org. 9

ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

EDUCATION UPDATE Understanding Coding & Documentation Requirements for ICDǦ10: Disease Specific Categories (Webinar Series) This six part series will prepare staff for ICDǦ 10 coding for home health and hospice, and provide attendees with detailed knowledge of specific ICDǦ10 diagnostic areas to gain coding proficiency in each area. April 2, April 9, April 16, April 30 and May 7 From Additional Documentation Requests to Administrative Law Judges: Tips & Tactics for Successful Medicare Appeals (Webinar) Learn the organizational strategies that have helped agencies recoup reimbursement that Medicare Administrative Contractors have withheld. April 7

Sponsored in part by:

Creating Your Seat at the Table for Chronic Disease Management (Teleconference) This program will explore tools to help you with your inǦhome education related to chronic disease management and how to explain to referral sources how you are positioned to assist in chronic disease management. April 8 OASIS Proficiency for Therapists (Webinar Series) Empower your therapists by improving their competency with OASIS CǦ1. This series will feature examples of common home health therapy cases, and will focus on areas that are most troublesome for therapists. April 15, April 22, April 29 and May 6 HCA’s Annual Conference 2015 (Saratoga Springs) HCA's signature educational event provides expert presenters; networking opportunities; a vendor gallery and more. In addition, HCA is offering a halfǦday Leadership Institute on May 8, brought to you by the American College of Healthcare Executives. May 6 to 7 followed by a Leadership Institute on May 8 Home Care Survival Bootcamp – Part Four (NYC) This program will offer vital information on establishing effective compliance manuals and understanding the NYS Department of Health survey process. May 13 Blueprint for OASIS Accuracy TwoǦDay Workshop (Albany) Experience the comprehensive and nationally acclaimed twoǦday Blueprint for OASIS Accuracy workshop and learn to confidently teach, audit and collect OASISǦC1 items accurately June 23 and 24; followed by COSǦC Exam at same location June 25

Brochures and registration information for each of these programs are available at www.hcanys.org/events.cfm; or use the QR code below:

Teleconferences for Home Health and Hospice Aides (Teleconference) An investment in staff education is an investment in quality customer service and quality care. Various programs are being offered. Visit our website for full brochure. Dates through June 2015 ICDǦ10 Coding Survival Kit (DVD Series) ICDǦ10 is closer than you think! This 10Ǧ part DVD series enables the learner to become familiar with the ICDǦ10 changes in an incremental fashion by focusing on 1Ǧ2 specific chapters on each DVD. Ongoing Save the Date for These Future Events! HCA’s Senior and Financial Managers Retreat (New Paltz) September 17 and 18 HCA’s Corporate Compliance Symposium (Albany) October 8

www.hcaǦnys.org 10

ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Deadline Extended for DSRIP Implementation Plans

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

HRA Excess Income Office Moves

The state Department of Health (DOH) has extended the deadline for submission of implementation plans by Performing Provider Systems (PPSs) from April 1 to May 1 under the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program. This action was taken because deliberations of the state Legislature could impact valuation as additional funds are included in the Governor’s proposed budget. In addition, DOH is awaiting final approval from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for the proposed valuation. DOH is postponing the release of final valuation from March 27 to after the budget in order to ensure the most accurate financing information is included in those calculations. Once DOH has those final valuation elements from the budget process and CMS, it will produce and share finalized DSRIP valuation. Questions should be directed to DSRIP@health.ny.gov.

The Human Resources Administration’s Division of Accounts Receivable and Billing (DARB) is relocating. Effective Monday, March 30, 2015, Excess Income (“surplus income”) consumers who wish to pay their Medicaid excess/surplus income to DARB should be directed to the new address stated below (which is open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.): Division of Accounts Receivable and Billing Human Resources Administration 150 Greenwich Street, 34th Floor New York, NY 10007

DOH has also posted the Questions and Answers program held with State Medicaid Director Jason Helgerson on the MRT Innovation eXchange (MIX).

As a reminder, Excess Income consumers also have the option of paying their Medicaid excess income by credit card over the phone at 929-221-6054/6060, Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Some of the topics covered included: project metrics; Capital Restructuring Financing Program; telehealth and other technology; and modifying PPS networks.

eMedNY Posts Updated Document

More information is at https://www.ny-mix.org/login (registration is required).

eMedNY has posted an updated Medicaid Eligibility Verification System (MEVS)/ Dispensing Validation System (DVS) Provider Manual.

MIX Program

FIDA “Passive Enrollment” to Start April 1 “Passive enrollment” into a Fully Integrated Duals Advantage (FIDA) plan will be effective April 1 for some individuals in New York City and Nassau County who are enrolled in a Managed Long Term Care (MLTC) plan and have not already chosen to enroll into a FIDA plan or “opt out.” About 7,100 MLTC members in April and 8,600 MLTC members in May will be automatically assigned to a FIDA plan (see the March 13 ASAP for details on which 11

It is at https://www.emedny.org/ ProviderManuals/5010/MEVS/ MEVS_DVS_Provider_Manual_(5010).pdf eMedNY has also posted new educational programs at https://www.emedny.org/ training/index.aspx.

ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

members). They will be assigned to the FIDA plan that is sponsored by the same company as their MLTC plan. Four MLTC plans are not connected to a FIDA plan. Their members will be assigned to a different MLTC plan that participates in FIDA and contracts with their home care agency. As mentioned in previous ASAP stories, FIDA enrollment activities in Suffolk and Westchester – whether voluntary or “passive” auto-enrollment – and all mailing of enrollment notices in these areas have been indefinitely postponed, due to deficiencies in plan-provider networks. More information is at http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=c02ae2a10914727045a8ebfd3&id=a484f62684&e=ecd32f6001. CFEEC New York’s Conflict-Free Evaluation and Enrollment Center (CFEEC) will be expanding into additional counties in April. These counties will include: parts of the Southern Tier; Finger Lakes and Western New York counties. The exact counties should be posted soon at http://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/mrt_90.htm. Under the CFEEC, all new individuals who require more than 120 days of community-based long term care services must be assessed, using the Uniform Assessment (UAS-NY) tool, by the Medicaid Enrollment Broker, Maximus, to determine their eligibility for Medicaid community based long term care and enrollment in an MLTC plan. MLTC plans can no longer enroll an individual unless they have first completed a CFEEC UAS. The CFEEC is already operating in New York City and Long Island as well as the following counties: Westchester, Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Putnam, Rockland, Orange, Ulster, Greene, Sullivan, Warren, Washington, Saratoga, Fulton, Montgomery, Schoharie, Schenectady, Rensselaer, Erie, Monroe and Onondaga. More information is at http://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/mrt_90.htm. Nursing home transition The state Department of Health (DOH) has posted another Frequently Asked Questions document on the transition of the nursing home population and benefit into managed care. It covers: physician services and credentials; pharmacy and other benefits; eligibility; enrollment; assessments; authorizations; rates and billing; contracting and networks; discharge and care planning. It is at http://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/ redesign/docs/2015-march_transition_nursing_home_population_benefits_to_mmc_faq.pdf.

DOH, Partners Convene on Statewide Emergency Preparedness HCA, health sector representatives, state Department of Health (DOH) officials and regional Health Emergency Preparedness Coalitions (HEPCs) convened this week for a two-day summit on health emergency preparedness. The meeting included preparedness updates; presentations on regional emergencies; preliminary drafts of emergency preparedness “deliverables” and other components. During a segment entitled “shifting health care,” HCA delivered a presentation where we urged Office of Health Insurance Program representatives to consider 12

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emergency preparedness in the context of new fiscal and program models that otherwise do not adequately account for these important functions. HCA educational primer Participants also received copies of a “primer” on home care emergency preparedness and response, developed by HCA and the New York State Association of Health Care Providers (HCP). The piece targets regional and local emergency management officials who need to engage with, but are most often not well-versed about, the home and community based services sector – one of many steps by HCA and DOH to raise awareness. The primer was also distributed to members of the New York State Emergency Managers Association, officers at hospitals throughout the state, utility companies and others. HCA members are encouraged to distribute the primer to relevant local contacts whom you feel would benefit from greater awareness of home care’s role in emergency preparedness. A PDF is at http://www.hca-nys.org/ documents/HomeCareEPPrimer.pdf. HCA Essential Personnel bill amended Also this week, the HCA-initiated “essential personnel” legislation was amended and queued for legislative action by both the Senate and Assembly sponsors. As previously reported, the bill provides access for home care and hospice personnel as “essential personnel” in emergencies. It also provides formal, direct home care/hospice input into the basic emergency planning process in every locality. The bill, S.3482-A Lanza/A.5125-A Cusick, was amended this week to address a very specific, technical language change intended to ensure that any prior misreading of the bill – which led to December’s veto by Governor Cuomo – would not be repeated. Reminder: Update 24-hour/emergency contacts on HCS HCA reminds all home care agencies, hospice providers and Managed Long Term Care plans to review and to update your agency/plan-specific 24-hour emergency contacts on the Health Commerce System (HCS). The HCS is the primary vehicle for contact information for emergency preparedness and response needs. It is critical that every agency and plan’s information be up to date and accurate. For additional information, please contact Al Cardillo at acardillo@hcanys.org.

PHHPC Committee Acts on Home Care Applications This week, the Public Health and Health Planning Council (PHHPC) Establishment and Project Review Committee met and acted on home care applications. At the meeting, applications were considered for: one Certified Home Health Agency (CHHA) to expand into Livingston, Ontario and Wayne counties; thirty-two entities to establish Licensed Home Care Services Agencies 13

ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

(LHCSAs), including eight outside of New York City (NYC), Long Island and Westchester; and five LHCSAs for a change of ownership, including three outside of the NYC metropolitan area. The CHHA expansion application was approved and sent to the full PHHPC for consideration at its April 16 meeting. Discussion centered on whether there was a need for another CHHA in those counties, and whether changes in the health system, such as the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) program, should be taken into consideration in determining need. The LHCSA applications did not receive enough votes to be approved, but still are sent to the full Council for its consideration. Some concerns were expressed about whether the state Department of Health (DOH) has the staff to monitor and survey additional LHCSAs. Background on the CHHA and LHCSA applications are at https://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/ public_health_and_health_planning_council/meetings/2015-03-26/. For more information, contact Andrew Koski at (518) 810-0662 or akoski@hcanys.org.

Home Health PEPPER Update Session Scheduled for April 30 On April 30 at 1:30 p.m., home care providers can participate in a webinar to learn more about a new tool to help identify and monitor potentially improper Medicare payments. TMF Health Quality Institute is the contractor for this new tool, known as PEPPER, or the home health Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report. PEPPER helps agencies proactively monitor their claims and work to prevent improper Medicare payments by summarizing an agency’s Medicare claims data in areas that may be at risk. It compares the agency’s statistics with aggregate statistics for the nation, by Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) jurisdiction and by state. If a provider’s statistics are at/above the national 80th percentile, the provider is identified as an “outlier” and may be at risk for improper Medicare payments – a sign that further internal investigation into billing practices is warranted. While PEPPER is a great risk-monitoring tool, it cannot identify the presence of improper payments. To participate in the free April 30 event, visit https://tmfpepper.webex.com/tmfpepper/onstage/ g.php?d=923918378&t=a and use the following log-in information: • •

Event number: 923918378 Event password: lantana

TMF will post handouts for the session to the PEPPER website (http://www.pepperresources.org/) by April 29. Participants should join the event 15 minutes before the start time in order to ensure you are able to participate. (No pre-registration is required.) For further information, contact Patrick Conole at (518) 810-0661 or pconole@hcanys.org.

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ASAP – a publication of the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 20, No. 12 March 27, 2015 

OPWDD Posts BIP Grants The Office for People with Developmental Disabilities (OPWDD) has posted a list of organizations that were awarded Balancing Incentive Program (BIP) Transformation Funds that are designed to further the system’s “transformational goals of supporting people to live in the most integrated community settings, obtain competitive employment and take control of their services through self-direction.” The list of grantees is at http://www.opwdd.ny.gov/node/5891. The state Department of Health had earlier released a list of entities it awarded funds under BIP. That list is at http://www.health.ny.gov/funding/rfa/inactive/1402140135/innovation_fund_awardees.htm. As covered in numerous past editions of ASAP, under BIP, states receive enhanced federal Medicaid funding to provide increased non-institutional LTSS to Medicaid recipients. New York will receive almost $600 million. As part of BIP, states must implement three structural changes in LTSS including: 1) “conflict-free” case management; 2) a no-wrong-door single-entry-point system; and 3) a core standardized assessment instrument. Additional information on BIP is at http://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/redesign/ balancing_incentive_program.htm. For more information, contact Andrew Koski at (518) 810-0662 or akoski@hcanys.org.

NGS Updates National Government Services (NGS), New York’s Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC), has recently posted the following information to its website. •

2015 Claim Status Inquiry and Direct Data Entry Annual User ID Recertification – All users who access the Direct Data Entry (DDE) Claim Status Inquiry (CSI) systems are required by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to recertify their access annually. National Government Services has begun the 2015 initiative and all active users should have received an e-mail during the week of March 9, 2015. To recertify access, users will need to access the web portal and enter their access code that should have been received in the initial recertification email. You will need to check “Yes” or “No” to indicate whether or not the access is still needed for each region listed. Checking “No” will result in the loss of access. Users will also need to enter the most current demographic information for the logon ID so that they can be contacted for the 2016 recertification. Users will have until April 20 to recertify. Access will be terminated for users that have not recertified their ID by then. All forms must be submitted online, printed, signed, dated by the authorized official and faxed to (502) 889-4701 within 10 business days of the online submission.

•

CMS Issues Internet-based PECOS FAQs Fact Sheet – CMS has posted a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Fact Sheet about the Internet-based Provider Enrollment, Chain & Ownership System (PECOS) at: http://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/MLNPublications-Items/ICN909015.html?DLPage=1&DLFilter=FAQ&DLSort=0&DLSortDir=ascending.It includes information related to enrollment applications, application fees, revalidations, and much more.

For further information, contact Patrick Conole at (518) 810-0661 or pconole@hcanys.org. 15

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Publications •

“List of Pooled Supplemental Needs Trusts (SNTs) in New York State,” by the New York Legal Assistance Group http://www.wnylc.com/health/entry/4/

•

“The Effectiveness of Diabetes Prevention Programs in Community Settings,” by the NYS Health Foundation http://nyshealthfoundation.org/uploads/resources/report-diabetes-prevention-in-communitysettings.pdf

For more information, contact Andrew Koski at (518) 810-0662 or akoski@hcanys.org.

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Establishing Effective Compliance Manuals & Understanding the NYS Department of Health Survey Process Location: The Conference Center 130 East 59th Street 7th floor New York, NY 10022

HCA is offering a series of Home Care Survival Bootcamps throughout the coming months to provide tools, tips and strategies that will help home health providers thrive in an increasingly challenging marketplace and regulatory environment. This series focuses on specific issue areas, offering practical ideas and methods for skill building.

Fee: $99 for HCA members; $199 for Non-members

Part IV in this series, on May 13, offers vital information on establishing effective compliance manuals and understanding the NYS Department of Health survey process. This educational series will provide the opportunity to retool, refocus and re-energize your agency. All programs in the series will be held at the Conference Center in New York City and will include expert presenters, valuable handout materials and lunch.

Registration Deadline: May 6, 2015

May 13, 2015 – Part Four Establishing Effective Compliance Manuals & Understanding the NYS Department of Health Survey Process We recommend that you review your compliance manual before the program and prepare any questions and issues you have to raise in the question and answer part. 9:00 – HCA Welcome 9:15 – 10:45

Establishing Effective Compliance Manuals and Compliance Program Activities

Location: The Conference Center 130 East 59th Street 7th floor New York, NY 10022

This program will highlight: • why a compliance manual is required; • state and federal requirements for the compliance manual; • components of an effective compliance manual; • who needs to be trained and be familiar with the compliance manual; • how compliance training should be conducted; • how to test the effectiveness of the information contained in the compliance manual; • how the compliance manual relates to other agency compliance initiatives and activities; and • how the relationships with managed care plans impact an agency’s compliance activities. Rachel Hold-Weiss, RPA-C, J.D., Associate General Counsel and Corporate Compliance Officer, Personal Touch Home Health Services 11:00 to 12:45

Understanding the NYS Department of Health Survey Process Learn from state Department of Health (DOH) staff about the survey process for Licensed Home Care Services Agencies, including: • the steps of a survey; • timeframes for agency responses; • types of documents and records that DOH needs; • how to properly address deficiencies through plans of correction; • any upcoming changes in the survey process; • recent survey findings and problematic areas; and more. Rebecca Fuller Gray, RN, Director, Division of Home and Community Based Services

Lunch Sponsored by:

Diane Jones, RN, Medical Assistance Specialist, Division of Home and Community Based Services Rita Cedar, RN, Home Care Program Manager, Capital District Regional Surveillance Division of Home and Community Based Services 12:45 to 1:30 – Lunch

REGISTRATION – (Deadline May 6)

REGISTRATION FEE

Name: _________________________________________________

HCA Members

Title:__________________________________________________

PAYMENT

Agency:________________________________________________

____MasterCard

Address:_______________________________________________

*Make checks payable and mailed to:

City/State/Zip:___________________________________________ Phone:______________________________ Ext._______________ Email: _________________________________________________ Cancellations received by May 6 are refundable less a 25% administrative fee. Cancellations must be received in writing via e-mail to info@hcanys.org. No refunds after that time or for no shows. Substitutions are permitted.

FAX TO: (518) 426-8788

$99 ________

____VISA

Non-Members

$199 ________

____ American Express

________ Check*

HCA Education and Research 388 Broadway, 4th Floor, Albany, NY 12207

Credit Card #: _______________________ Exp. Date:_______ Security Code: ________ _________________________________________________________________________ Name and/or Company Name on Card _________________________________________________________________________ Billing Address of card (including City, State and Zip Code) _________________________________________________________________________ Authorized Signature

2015 Annual Membership Conference May 6 & 7, 2015 ACHE Leadership Institute May 8, 2015 Saratoga Hilton – Saratoga Springs, NY

Dear Members and Friends of HCA,

Who Should Attend Chief Executive Officers, Executive Directors, Administrators, Finance Managers, Clinical Leaders or any other department leader who plays a key role in the success of your operation.

Why not use the HCA Annual Conference as an educational retreat for your team? Let us know if we can help make that happen!

NAB Continuing Education Clock Hours This educational offering has been reviewed by the National Continuing Education Review Service (NCERS) of the National Association of Long Term Care Administrator Boards (NAB) and approved for 12.25 clock hours and 8.25 participant hours.

A sea of change is happening in health care, and we all have weathered its rough waters over the past two years. But with change comes renewed purpose. Today you are no doubt seeing this outcome as you run a tighter ship, diversify what you offer your community, and extend new lines of outreach well beyond the deck of your organization, engaging new players and partners in an increasingly coordinated system. On this new course, home care needs to ride the wave of opportunity, and avoid getting overwhelmed by the flow of new information, expectations and shifting currents. This takes skill, intelligence, strategic thinking, patience and courage. HCA’s 2015 Annual Membership Conference aims to support you in this effort by bringing you tips, tools and strategies to help you successfully point your ship in the right direction and embark on a course of positive change. Our conference is now a two-day event, on May 6 and 7, reducing the cost to you and limiting the amount of time spent away from your office while offering you the same caliber of excellent learning and networking opportunities that have always been a signature of our conference. Also new this year, we are adding a half-day Leadership Institute on May 8, brought to you by the American College of Healthcare Executives. You can choose to attend both programs – the HCA Annual Conference and the Leadership Institute – or only one. All programs will take place at the Saratoga Hilton, in Saratoga Springs, where we’ll have an exciting lineup of world-renowned speakers and industry experts offering thought-provoking ideas and valuable learning opportunities. The Annual Conference is an ideal setting to network with your peers, pay tribute to outstanding individuals in the industry through our awards program, and visit with an assortment of vendors who will be on hand showcasing their latest products or services. If you are new to home care, new to your agency or if your agency just recently joined HCA, the Annual Conference is a perfect way to get your feet wet, meet HCA’s team, make new contacts, and learn. To broaden your team’s learning experience, HCA is also offering one of your staff members the opportunity to attend the conference at half price and the leadership institute at the lowest price possible if they’ve never attended HCA’s conference before. To take advantage of this “first-timer” opportunity, you must register yourself and your staff person by April 6. This is a great way to show your appreciation to a valuable member of your staff. (Online registration for this offer is not available; please use the registration form in this brochure.) So what are you waiting for? Check out the agenda and register today! I look forward to seeing you there.

Joanne Cunningham President HCA

We also extend a special thanks to HCA’s Board of Directors who donate their time and talents for the success of HCA.

Hotel Information The Saratoga Hilton, Saratoga Springs, NY is the site of the HCA Annual Conference. Rooms at the Saratoga Hilton are per night. This discounted rate is available until April 5. After this date, higher rates will prevail. Parking is $5 per night.

$162

To make a reservation, call 888-866-3596 or register online at https://resweb.passkey.com/go/HCANYS2015 The hotel’s check-in time is 4 p.m. and check out is 11 a.m. Luggage storage is available should your room not be ready prior to check-in time.

HCA graciously thanks those Sponsors and Exhibitors who have already committed to support you and this signature educational event.

Marie Andreacchio Allen Health Care Services Susan Brett, People Care, Inc. Maura Cahill-Bordas Hebrew Hospital Home, Inc. Anne Calvo, Winthrop University Hospital Home Health Agency Susan Caputo, Individual Member Northport, NY Shelly Eggleton Lourdes At Home/Hospice At Lourdes Michael Feinman Any-Time Home Care, Inc. Ann Frisch, New York City HHC – Health & Home Care Bridget Gallagher Jewish Home Lifecare Ginger Hall, Jefferson County Public Health Services Pamela Joachim, Montefiore Medical Center Home Health Agency Orael Keenan Visiting Nurse Association of Long Island

Additional Sponsors Arthur J. Gallagher Risk Management Services, Inc. Bassett Healthcare Network, At Home Care Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center Byram Healthcare Dominican Sisters Family Health Service, Inc. Hinman Straub, P.C. People Care, Inc. RBC Limited Healthcare and Management Consultants VNS Westchester Winthrop University Hospital

Kenneth Kilroy Progressive Home Health Services Sue Larman, VNA Home Health Russell Lusak Selfhelp Community Services Irina Mitzner, North Shore – Long Island Jewish Health Care Network Laurie Neander Basset Healthcare Network: At Home Care Karen O’Kane, Brookhaven Memorial Hospital Medical Center

Exhibitors AccuPoint, LLC Avanti Health Care Services Black Tree Healthcare Consulting Bosch Healthcare Brinster & Bergman, LLP Cardiocom, a Medtronic Company ContinuLink The Corridor Group Delta Health Technologies, LLC Fazzi Associates Forcura Friedlander Group Grassi & Co. CPA’s Homecare Homebase

Homecare Software Solutions. LLC LCG Community Trust Mobile Health MobilexUSA Mom’s Meals Nourish Care MyCNAjobs Philips Hospital to Home Quality in Real Time Senior Planning Services MLTC Simione Healthcare Consultants Stay at Home Solutions TSG Financial Total Program Management United Healthcare Community Plan

Mary Kate Rolf, VNA Homecare Paul Rosenfeld, CenterLight Health System Brian Schiel, Bestcare

Rae Szymanski, Visiting Nurse Association of Hudson Valley Vivian Torres-Suarez, Individual Member Bayside, NY Joseph Twardy, VNS of Northeastern NY Mary Wagner Metropolitan Jewish Health System

Sponsorship and Exhibitor opportunities are still available. Visit

Mary Zagajeski Dominican Sisters Family Health Service

www.hcaannualconference.com

Elizabeth Zicari, HCR Homecare

to learn about all the benefits you will receive as a supporter.

Wednesday, May 6 10:00am – 5:00pm Hotel Lobby

HCA Registration Opens At the registration desk, you will obtain your conference program, name badge and directions to your first session. 1:00pm to 1:30pm

HCA Annual Meeting of the Corporation (Note New Time) All HCA members are invited to attend the Annual Meeting of the Corporation. This brief meeting of the HCA corporation will include membership review and passage of the 2014 audit and financials, a synopsis of the year’s activities, and ratification of the Slate of Board of Directors members. (The HCA Board of Directors meeting, which all members are encouraged to attend, will be held on Thursday, May 7, from 4:15pm to 6:00pm.) 1:30pm to 1:45pm – HCA Welcome 1:45pm to 2:45pm

The Healing of America: Opportunities for Home Care T.R. Reid, author of the national best-seller ‘The Healing of America: A Global Quest for Better, Cheaper, and Fairer Health Care,’ will examine why all other industrialized democracies manage to provide high-quality universal health care but still spend half as much as the U.S. does. Mr. Reid’s PBS documentary, ‘U.S. Health Care: The Good News,’ reveals how some U.S. communities have found ways to improve the quality of care, and contain costs, by orchestrating their local health care providers to work together, rather than waiting for Washington to tell them what to do. T.R.Reid has become one of the nation’s best known reporters through his books, articles, and documentary films. His work includes reporting for the Washington Post, NPR’s Morning Edition and PBS. 3:00pm to 4:30pm

You Can Never NOT Communicate We all understand the importance of communicating effectively in the health care field. But do you realize that you can never NOT communicate? In this presentation, Janene Schneider will help you bring communication to the conscience level by focusing on nonverbal communication and providing you with tips to enhance your professional interactions. Janene Schneider is chair of the English Department for Franklin Academy in Wake Forest, NC. With a Master’s in Communication from the University of Iowa, she has developed a passion for nonverbal communication and is a frequent speaker for Duke University’s Population Care Coordinator Program. 3:00pm

Exhibit Gallery Opens HCA is pleased to have 31 exclusive vendors on hand to showcase the latest home health products and services expressly for HCA conference participants. Take advantage of this one-stop shopping opportunity – no appointment needed.

Wednesday, May 6 – continued 4:30pm to 6:00pm

Welcome Reception Before heading out to dinner at one of Saratoga’s many fine restaurants, be sure to take the time to visit with old friends and new, peruse the exhibits of our home health vendors and register for their great raffle prizes. Dinner is on your own this evening. 8:30pm to 11:00pm

PAC Beach Party and Trivia Night Join in the fun at this fundraiser for HCA’s Political Action Committee (PAC). Attendees who make a $50 minimum personal donation will get to enjoy drinks and light refreshments while making their best guesses for prizes in response to questions on pop culture, sports, geography, science, history and more. Anyone who has attended HCA’s popular PAC fundraisers in the past will know what a great time to expect at this year’s event, so please encourage your peers to join you.

Thursday, May 7 7:00am

Registration Opens The registration desk is open bright and early for those who haven’t yet obtained their conference program, name badge and directions. 7:30am to 8:30am

Exhibit Gallery Enjoy coffee while meeting with vendors to learn more about their latest products or services that support home health. 8:30am to 9:30am

HCA’s Breakfast of Champions During this morning’s breakfast, HCA pays tribute to recipients of the Ruth F. Wilson Award, the Caring Award and the Advocacy “Giraffe” Award – a highlight of our annual conference. Join your peers as we recognize these champions over an elegant breakfast. 9:30am to 10:00am

Catching the Wave – An Address by HCA’s President, Joanne Cunningham Home care is a vital line of support for the patients you serve, and HCA’s ongoing goal is to help you navigate potential obstacles, tie-up alongside partner organizations in integrated models, and keep home care in its flagship role as the driver of community-level support services. 10:15am to 11:15am

The Art of Audacity Can one person really change the world? National Geographic journalist Tom Clynes will bring us along on assignment to some of the most dramatic and intriguing places on Earth. Through his provocative stories and stunning photos, we’ll meet the extraordinary people who dared to challenge and change the status quo: The explorer whose Congo Basin expedition led to the biggest African conservation victory in decades … the “elephant whisperer” who rescued the animals in the Baghdad Zoo … as well as virus hunters, Ebola doctors, climatologists, and a pre-teen nuclear physicist. Along the way we’ll discover the life lessons behind the success of those who dared to follow their audacious dreams, and to shape once-ordinary lives into world-changing adventures. Tom Clynes is an author and photographer who covers the adventurous side of science, the environment and public health. He writes regularly for National Geographic and Popular Science where he is a contributing editor.

Thursday, May 7 – continued 11:15am to 3:00pm

Three Workshops in Two Sessions Session 1 (11:15am to 12:15pm) Session 2 (2:00pm to 3:00pm) All three of the programs summarized below are held concurrently from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. (Session 1) and then repeated, again concurrently, from 2 to 3 p.m. (session 2). These workshops will help you gain further knowledge on: specific regulatory compliance issues like the Medicare face-to-face requirement, workforce recruitment and retention, and population health – all of which are vital to the success of your organization.

Session 1 & 2 Descriptions Certifying Home Health Services On January 1, the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) changed the requirements for the face-to-face documentation mandate. New York’s Medicare Administrative Contractor, National Government Services (NGS), is your main point of interaction for Medicare payment and is empowered with enforcement activity related to face-to-face. Hear directly from a representative of NGS who will help you gain a greater understanding of patient eligibility, face-to-face encounters and certification requirements for home health. Attendees will receive NGS/CMS resources and the opportunity to ask questions. Shelly Bernardini, RN, CPHM, is the Medicare Home Health Clinical Consultant for Jurisdictions K and 6 at NGS where she provides outreach and education.

A Caregiver’s Perspective: Data-Driven Recruitment Get under the hood to discover the perspective of Certified Nursing Assistants and Home Health Aides on working in home care. This session will unveil key insights from a caregiver's point of view – gleaned from thousands of survey results – alongside key strategies to drive more caregivers to apply to your jobs, show up for the interview, entice them to want to work for you, and stay with your organization for the long run. Maggie Keen is Director of Customer Success for myCNAjobs. She is a national caregiver recruitment speaker, and key researcher behind The Caregiver Trend Report. Her team consults with home care recruiters across the country to optimize local recruitment efforts.

Population Health Explore how multilevel care coordination can help your organization be best positioned to improve clinical and financial outcomes by increasing communication across settings, effectively analyzing patterns and addressing health care needs for your entire patient population. Sharon Rushton, MSN, MS, RN, CCM is Assistant Professor at Duke University School of Nursing. Her interests include care coordination of complex patients, transitions of care, resource utilization and patient/family education.

Thursday, May 7 – continued 12:15pm to 1:15pm

Networking Buffet Lunch 12:30pm to 2:00pm

Desserts in the Exhibit Gallery While enjoying dessert, take advantage of this last opportunity to meet with vendors who are showcasing their products and services exclusively for you.

2:00pm to 3:00pm

Session 2 – Workshops Workshops from Session 1 (held at 11:15am) are repeated. Please refer to previous page for session descriptions. 3:00pm to 4:00pm

Physicians and Home Health: Partners in Care In this closing segment, you’ll discover new strategies for working more collaboratively with your local physician groups in achieving the same goals: better coordination of care for the patients you serve and reduced re-hospitalizations. Linda Lambert, CAE, is Executive Director for the New York Chapter of the American College of Physicians, the state's largest medical specialty organization representing over 12,000 internal medicine physicians dedicated to advancing the specialty of Internal Medicine and improving patient care through education, advocacy and quality improvement.

4:15pm to 6:00pm – HCA Annual Board of Directors Meeting All HCA members are encouraged to attend the HCA Board of Directors meeting, which will focus on Board discussion and debate of federal and state policy and advocacy strategy as well as organizational and operational priorities. This event is an important tradition and includes an invited guest speaker from the public policy arena. Dinner is on your own this evening at one of the many fine restaurants Saratoga Springs has to offer.

8:00pm – Pat’s Pub Crawl After dinner, join HCA Staff and your peers for our first-ever Saratoga Pub Crawl. Visit a variety of venues that offer something for every taste including the upscale atmosphere of wine bars, authentic brew pubs and jazzy lounges. Free drink coupons for all pub crawl participants. Watch for further details coming soon.

Friday, May 8 - Bonus Session! 7:30am to 8:45am

Value Based Payment Workshop and Breakfast Enjoy a full buffet breakfast and the opportunity to learn more about an emerging policy and payment priority at both the State and the National level focusing on value-based payment. Hear from expert faculty on how value based payments are developed, and how home health agencies can position themselves to benefit in value based payment models.

Be sure to take advantage of HCA’s Leadership Institute on Friday, May 8th!

Program Agenda Friday, May 8 7:30am to 8:45am

Breakfast and Value Based Payment Workshop Enjoy a full buffet breakfast and the opportunity to learn more about an emerging policy and payment priority at both the State and the National level focusing on value-based payment. Hear from expert faculty on how value based payments are developed, and how home health agencies can position themselves to benefit in value based payment models. (Coffee will be available beginning at 7:00 am.) 9:00am to1:00pm

The Courage to Lead: Critical Skills for Healthcare Leaders This session, presented by the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), is exclusively for HCA onlocation.

Leadership is an applied skill, but too often it is left to chance as something to be picked up on the job. Progressing as a successful leader requires more. In this half-day session, designed for health care leaders at all levels of their careers, you will use proven tools and techniques to identify and develop your leadership philosophy and to develop your leadership skills even if you have little formal authority. You will also learn how to: • Create an action plan using course content through an illustrative case study, leadership tools and integrative discussions. • Increase your influence and effectiveness by becoming a quiet but strong leader. • Practice ways to recognize and reward employee contributions and build a winning team.

This program is presented by Jody Rogers, PhD, FACHE, visiting professor in the health care administration graduate program, Trinity University, San Antonio, TX. He has more than 30 years of experience as a health care executive in public and private health care organizations and is a certified master facilitator of The Leadership Challenge.

Accreditation Participants will receive ACHE Face-to-Face Education credits as well as contact hours from the National Association of Boards of Examiners of Long Term Care Administrators (NAB).

About the American College of Healthcare Executives The American College of Healthcare Executives is an international professional society of more than 40,000 health care executives who lead hospitals, healthcare systems and other healthcare organizations. ACHE offers its prestigious FACHEŽ credential, signifying board certification in healthcare management. ACHE's established network of 80 chapters provides access to networking, education and career development at the local level. In addition, ACHE is known for its magazine, Healthcare Executive, and its career development and public policy programs. Through such efforts, ACHE works toward its goal of being the premier professional society for healthcare executives dedicated to improving healthcare delivery. HCA’s Leadership Institute can be purchased in conjunction with the Annual Conference registration which offers the best value. The Leadership Institute is also available for purchase separate from the HCA Annual Conference. See the registration form for fees and discounts.

2015 ANNUAL CONFERENCE REGISTRATION Catch the Wave! Are You Ready for the Turn-Around? Return this completed registration form with your payment by fax to (518) 426-8788 or mail it to 388 Broadway, 4th Floor, Albany, NY 12207. You may duplicate this form for additional attendees. Please save a copy for your records.

Register online at: www.eventville.com/hcanys CONFERENCE PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION NAME ______________________________________________________________

TITLE ____________________________________________________

AFFILIATION ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ADDRESS ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CITY/STATE/ZIP _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PHONE _____________________________________________________________ FAX _____________________________________________________ E-MAIL ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

METHOD OF PAYMENT:

REGISTRATION FEE:

Please select your method of payment: ________MasterCard

________Visa

________American Express

Credit Card No.________________________________________________

We encourage you to attend both the Annual Conference and ACHE Leadership Institute for the best value. No credits can be given for meals not taken or unattended education programs.

REGISTRATION FEE Seven Registration Options Please indicate your registration choice below:

Name on Card_________________________________________________

Expiration Date __________________ Security Code _________________ _____________________________________________________________ Billing Address for Card _____________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip Authorized Signature____________________________________________

_____Check* Make payable to: HCA Education and Research Mail to: 388 Broadway, 4th Floor, Albany, NY 12207 Checks must be received by May 2.

Cancellation Policy: Cancellations received by April 22 will receive a full refund, less 25% of total due as an administrative fee. Cancellations received on April 23 or later will forfeit their registration fee, as will those who register and do not attend. Substitutions are permitted.

1. HCA Member – Annual Conf. and Leadership Inst.

$768 

2. HCA Member – Annual Conference Only

$489 

3. Non-Member – Annual Conf. and Leadership Inst.

$948 

4. Non-Member – Annual Conference Only

$599 

5. Leadership Institute Only (Members and Non-Members)

$349 

6. *First Time Attendee HCA Member – Annual Conf. Only

$244 

7. *First Time Attended HCA Member – Ann. Conf. & Ldr. Inst. $523  *Must register by April 6.

TOTAL DUE: $__________

Beach and Trivia Night HCA PAC Party Wednesday, May 6th – Saratoga Hilton Lounge

I will attend the HCA PAC Fundraiser

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My personal donation will be submitted separately.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act or special meal needs, please let us know how we can accommodate you: ___________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ I will attend the Pat’s Pub Crawl

FAX THIS FORM TO (518) 426-8788

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388 Broadway Fourth Floor Albany, New York 12207