The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State
Volume 2, No. 5 January 30, 2017
Continued from previous page HCA is surveying these global cap reports carefully in an information gathering effort, combined with other data analysis, to ensure accurate reflections of home care finances, with an eye toward any indication of rate or payment decisions stemming from the state’s analysis of home care’s performance. For further information, contact Patrick Conole at (518) 810-0661 or pconole@hcanys.org.
PACE Applications Available The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS) has released the PACE application and key dates for the 2017 Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) application cycle. Beginning in 2017, all PACE applications, both initial and service area expansion (SAE) applications, will be submitted via the Health Plan Management System (HPMS). A copy of the 2017 PACE application is posted at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Health-Plans/PACE/Overview.html. Initial applicants must complete the Notice of Intent to Apply (NOIA) to ensure timely access to CMS systems, including HPMS. CMS uses the NOIA information to generate a pending contract number, which the applicant needs in order to request access to HPMS. The NOIA data collection form for organizations interested in applying under the PACE program is Attachment A in a CMS memo (http://hca-nys.org/wpcontent/uploads/2017/01/PACE-Application-Guidance_011717.pdf). CMS will only accept the NOIA data collection form electronically through the PACE portal at: https://dmao.lmi.org. All initial applications and any SAE application that includes the addition of a new PACE center require a State Readiness Review (SRR) of the new center. The SRR must be submitted with either the initial submission of the application or submitted in response to the subsequent request for additional information. If the required SRR is not submitted, the application will be denied. Applicants must also submit a Medicare Part D application in HPMS simultaneously with the initial PACE application.
Cybersecurity Guidance Posted The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has posted a guidance on cybersecurity issues for health care providers. The document, titled “Healthcare and Public Health Sector Cyberdependencies,” is at http://hca-nys.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Cyberdependency_Homeland-Security_012417.pdf. The document discusses processes supported by information communication technology; cybersecurity incidents affecting medical data, business management systems and building and access control systems; and recommendations for agencies to address cybersecurity risks. Last week’s edition of The Situation Report informed members that the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted guidance to State Survey Agency Directors on recommendations to providers regarding cybersecurity. That guidance, including additional resources, is at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/ProviderEnrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/Downloads/Survey-and-Cert-Letter-17-17.pdf.
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