Issuu

HOME CARE MONTH

QUALITY CONFERENCE

ADVOCACY

HCC MEMBERS

Hear two incredible stories about a provider tackling the opioid epidemic and an aide who rescued a critically ill patient!

Have you heard? We’ve reduced the rate for our Quality and Technology Conference in recognition of Home Care Month.

Senator Schumer has taken notice, so keep sending him messages on S.578 to gain flexibility on ordering and referring of home care.

The next forum for HCC Members of HCA is coming up on December 6. Please register today to get the latest updates.

PAGE 3

PAGE 5

PAGE 7

PAGE 11

COMING UP HCA Quality & Technology Symposium Nov. 16-17, 2016 Embassy Suites by Hilton Saratoga Springs 86 Congress St. Saratoga Springs, New York 12866 Bootcamp: Successfully Acting as a Fiscal Intermediary in the Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program Dec. 1, 2016 Visiting Nurse Service of New York 107 East 70th Street (between Park and Lexington Ave) New York, NY 10021 9:30 to 10 a.m. (Registration and continental breakfast) 10 a.m. to noon program

Your Source for HOME CARE News, Policy and Advocacy

Vol. 1, Issue 9 | November 7, 2016

Update on Funding for Minimum Wage Increase HCA notifies DOH of practices contrary to its guidance As a follow up to the minimum wage funding guidance released by the state Department of Health (DOH), and reported in the October 31 edition of The Situation Report, HCA has reached out to members to learn the experiences they are having with implementation. Some providers report that their MLTC plan partners in New York City (where the current guidelines apply) have already presented contract amendments with a full See WAGE p. 2

HCA Memo, Analysis of 2017 HHPPS Final Rule HCA plans series of regular conference calls with CFOs, Finance Managers on payment issues, including one later this month dedicated to final HHPPS: stay tuned for date! HCA has completed a detailed memorandum on the final rule for the 2017 Medicare home health prospective payment system (HHPPS). The rule was posted a week ago, and a brief summary was shared with members in an HCA alert. You can download the more detailed analysis in our memo at http://hca-nys.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/ 11/CMS2017FinalHHPPSRuleMemo.pdf. See HHPPS p. 3

INSIDE Update on Funding for Minimum Wage Increase.................................................1 HCA Memo, Analysis of 2017 HHPPS Final Rule.....................................................1 This Week’s Home Care Month Stories...............................................................3 Home Care Month Price Discount for Quality & Tech Symposium!........................5 HCA Offers VBP Tools, Resources and Knowledge for Success on Dec. 15.................6 DOH Releases List of 2015-16 QIVAPP Awardees.................................................6 Sen. Schumer Has Taken Notice: Keep Up Your Messages on S.578.......................7 DOH Publishes Updated Hospice Medicaid Rates...............................................7 CMS Issues Guidance to State Surveyors on Emergency Preparedness Rule.........8

Emergency Prep. Sessions Convene in Northeast & Capital Regions..............9 HCA/IPRO Home Care Sepsis Webinar No. 3 Being Rescheduled....................10 Claims from Non-Validating Providers Will be Pended................................10 HCC Member Forum Convenes December 6...................................................11 New York Labor Changes Proposed for White Collar Exemption...................12 Influenza Update......................................................................................13 CMS Announces New Medicare FFS RAC Contractor Awards.........................13 SED Proposes Rule for OT and Occupational Therapy Assistants...................14 Workers’ Compensation Board Announces 2017 Assessment Rate.............14 NGS Updates.......................................................................................15 Resources......................................................................................................15

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State WAGE from p. 1 $1.33-per-hour adjustment in the rate or have expressed the intention to do so, whereas there are cases being reported of plans intending to reduce their base rates, and then adding the minimum wage adjustment on top of the lowered rate. HCA has referred the reports of rate-reduction to the Department, as the DOH guidance specifically intended the minimum wage adjustment to supplement the rate, and not be used as an offset for a base rate decrease. HCA has asked DOH to promulgate a general communication underscoring this portion of the guidance. The guidance states in part that the “increased funding for calendar year 2017, which when combined with other wage trend, shall total $1.33/hr for MLTC Partial Cap NYC . . . and further assumed that reimbursement rates to providers would not be decreased to supplement base wage increases” (emphasis added). Furthermore, “effective January 1, 2017, MCOs shall supplement their contracted reimbursement rates for providers which shall utilize the $1.33 of additional funds to pay the full increment of the additional statutory wage cost, as identified by DOH, for direct care workers. The aggregate additional funds paid to MCOs shall be paid out entirely to providers and subsequently to workers for appropriate statutory wage obligations (including the direct salary costs and related fringe benefits of minimum wage and wage parity amounts).” HCA urges both providers and member MLTC plans to report to us the experiences they are having with the implementation of the minimum wage adjustment. Such information can be sent to Andrew Koski at akoski@hcanys.org. DOH is convening a stakeholder group meeting to discuss wage increase issues on November 14 and it would be very helpful to have this information prior to that meeting. HCA has also confirmed that DOH will address funding for the minimum wage increase in areas outside of NYC at a later date.

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

The Situation Report is a weekly publication of the Home Care Association of New York State (HCA). Unless otherwise noted, all articles appearing in The Situation Report are the property of the Home Care Association of New York State. Reuse of any content within this newsletter requires permission from HCA. Joanne Cunningham HCA President jcunningham@hcanys.org Roger L. Noyes Director of Communications, Editor of The Situation Report rnoyes@hcanys.org Al Cardillo Executive V ice President, Policy & Programs acardillo@hcanys.org Patrick Conole Vice President, Finance & Management pconole@hcanys.org Andrew Koski Vice President, Program, Policy & Services akoski@hcanys.org Alexandra Fitz Blais Director of Public Policy ablais@hcanys.org Laura Constable Senior Director, Membership & Operations lconstable@hcanys.org Celisia Street Director of Education cstreet@hcanys.org Mercedes Teague Finance Manager mteague@hcanys.org Jenny Kerbein Director of Governance & Special Projects jkerbein@hcanys.org Billi Wilson Manager, Meetings & Events bwilson@hcanys.org

Home Care Association of New York State (HCA) 388 Broadway, 4th Floor, Albany, NY 12207 Tele: 518-426-8764; Fax: 518-426-8788; Website www.hcanys.org

Teresa Brown Administrative Assistant tbrown@hcanys.org

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State HHPPS from p. 1 In the final rule, CMS estimates that 2017 Medicare payments to home health agencies would be reduced by an aggregate 0.7 percent, or $130 million nationally, reflecting a series of upward and downward adjustments to the various rates. CMS did increase the market-basket update from its proposed rule. CMS is now implementing a 2.5 percent update (a $450 million increase for 2017 compared to 2016), up from the proposed 2017 market basket of 2.3 percent. However, this upward adjustment is coupled with: 1) the continued rebasing of the episodic payment rate, the per-visit rates, and the non-routine medical supplies (NRS) conversion factor (a 2.3 percent or $420 million decrease); and 2) a 0.97 percent rate reduction in the episodic payment rates for socalled “case-mix-creep” to account for “nominal case-mix growth” (a downward adjustment of 0.9 percent, or a $160 million decrease). All told, these adjustments result in the net decrease of 0.7 percent. HCA’s detailed memo describes all of the various payment adjustments and other aspects of the rule, including: the move toward a cost-per-unit (rather than a cost-per-visit) approach for the outlier policy; the continuation of quality reporting requirements and new penalties for noncompliance; and the continuation of CMS’s value-based purchasing model, with some alterations, in nine states (New York State is not one of the model states). The memo also provides tables showing the updated case-mix weights, due to CMS’s recalibrations, along with the final 2017 wage index changes.

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

This Week’s Home Care Month Stories: Western NY Home Care Provider Tackles Opioid Epidemic, and Capital Region Aide Rescues Critically Ill Woman For National Home Care Month, in November, HCA has been collecting stories from you – and we’ve already posted two incredible stories to our home care month website and Facebook page. In fact, both stories have turned into press releases, distributed to media in each region. You can read the full stories at http:// nationalhomecaremonth.com/ or in the press release section of HCA’s website at http://hca-nys.org/category/pressreleases. One story was picked up by the Daily Gazette newspaper, describing the heroic work of Home Health Aide Joanne Hogan. Both stories are described below. Home care and the opioid epidemic

Conference call coming up

As the opioid crisis grips communities in Western New York and throughout the nation, HCA Member Schofield Care has taken on a major community outreach effort to educate, train and equip its direct-care staff – as well as the public – on the use of lifesaving Narcan spray kits that can save lives.

As part of our ongoing member service work, HCA has been planning a series of regularly scheduled conference calls to check-in and provide updates to CFOs, Finance Managers and any executives at your agency involved with payment and reimbursement issues. Our first call will be announced later this week, and will be held later in the month, focusing specifically on the 2017 HHPPS. Please stay tuned for details and registration.

Narcan is an FDA-approved nasal form of naloxone for the emergency treatment of a known or suspected opioid overdose. It knocks the opiate receptors in the brain, and it can be safely administered by a layperson with minimal training: Narcan does not have an effect on a person who has

Please be sure to read the memo and share it with your finance teams if they haven’t received it already, as it provides tables, background and methodology explanations to assist in your budgeting for Medicare home health payments in 2017.

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

not taken opioids. If a drug overdose is suspected, protocols call for administering Narcan and immediately contacting emergency medical services. “Our home care agency is proud to partner with Erie County to help deliver opioid education and Narcan training to individuals in our community,” said Schofield RN Colleen Osborn, the organization’s Director of Home Care Operations. “We offer free-of-charge programs, open to the public, and people who attend leave with samples of Narcan to help our community combat the ever-growing opioid addiction crisis.” Schofield has also trained all of its staff on Narcan, equipping them with the kits as they conduct home care visits. “The training has become part of Schofield’s home health aide courses regardless of whether the individual chooses to work for Schofield or takes their training elsewhere, and our nursing staff is similarly equipped with training and Narcan supplies,” Ms. Osborn added. “Every person we touch has the ability to positively impact this crisis.” Alert Home Health Aide Rescues Critically Ill Palatine Bridge Woman Joanne Hogan, a Home Health Aide from Capital Region-based Visiting Nurses Home Care, is being celebrated by her agency and peers after she obtained lifesaving emergency medical care for an elderly woman at a Palatine Bridge apartment complex. According to EMTs at the scene, Joanne’s quick action undoubtedly saved the woman’s life. Her story exemplifies the compassionate, vital, and sometimes even heroic services of home care staff. A few weeks ago, Ms. Hogan who has worked with Visiting Nurses Home Care for 18 years, was in the apartment building to see a patient when she noticed a pile of mail and newspapers outside the door of her client’s neighbor. Her patient told Ms. Hogan she had not seen her neighbor in Joanne Hogan

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

several days. Because the building is home to many elderly residents, Ms. Hogan was concerned and took immediate action. Ms. Hogan had someone let her in, and found the neighbor lying on the floor, unconscious. She called 911 and comforted the neighbor while they waited for the ambulance. She later learned that the neighbor is diabetic and her blood sugar level was an alarming 600, and the woman had a life-threatening bacterial infection: sepsis. The EMTs told Ms. Hogan that the neighbor was literally hours from death. After spending a week in the hospital, the neighbor is now back home and doing fine. Despite her heroic deed, Ms. Hogan refuses the accolades. She says, “I just did what anyone else would have done in that situation. It’s part of my job.” Her colleagues at Visiting Nurses Home Care are proud of her work. According to Chief Executive Officer Susan Larman, a member of HCA’s Board of Directors, “I’m so proud and grateful to have Joanne on our staff. Her actions undoubtedly saved a life. And she’s not alone – every day our nurses, therapists and aides are not only providing critical care to patients, but quietly taking actions that go far beyond what their jobs require.” Hogan's story reported by Daily Gazette newspaper Ms. Hogan's story led to a moving report in the Daily Gazette newspaper this morning where Ms. Hogan and the woman she rescued describe the emotional event. Please read the article at: http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2016/nov/06/alert-caretaker-saves-lifepalatine-bridge. Look for more stories throughout the month on our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/hcanys) and our National Home Care Month website (www.nationalhomecaremonth.com). If you have a story to tell, let us know about it. Contact HCA’s Communications Director Roger Noyes at rnoyes@hcanys.org.

HCA Offers Home Care Month Price Discount for Quality & Tech Symposium! With the start of National Home Care and Hospice Month in November, HCA is celebrating with a special discount rate for you and your team to attend our Quality and Technology Symposium on November 16 and 17! This discount is for HCA members only. All you have to do is register online and select the “HCA MembersOnly National Home Care and Hospice Month Discount Rate” of $269. Online registration is at https:// www.eventville.com/hcanys. We can’t think of a better way to celebrate home care month than our symposium on home care quality and technology. In many ways, this conference directly supports the core work of home care more than any other, by giving your team new clinical tools and strategies to support: clinical intervention best practices, population health, electronic health records integration, partnership opportunities with physicians, hands-on quality data analysis instruction, a vendor showcase to support your clinicians, and more. This conference is little more than a week away. Please register now to get our special discount, and make sure your quality managers, clinician leaders and technology teams make the most of this opportunity. To learn more about the conference, download the brochure at http://hca-nys.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ HCA-Quality-and-Technology-Symposium-Brochure-2016.pdf.

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

HCA Offers Tools, Resources and Knowledge for Success under Value Based Payments in Home Care Value Based Payment (VBP) operational readiness for home care ... VBP workforce investment opportunities for home care ... VBP insights from managed care payors for home care ... VBP-focused data assessment for home care ... these are the tangible tools and inside knowledge you will gain at HCA’s newly announced conference on VBP Readiness and Success. Please register today for this one-day, in-depth learning opportunity coming to you on December 15 in Tarrytown. As you know, Medicare and Medicaid policymakers are moving aggressively and deliberately toward VBP systems. To succeed and gain rewards under VBP, you must understand your data, prepare your staff, know your value-proposition and position your agency wisely to mitigate risk and avoid cost liability. You will gain all of these insights on December 15. Learn how by downloading the brochure at http://hca-nys.org/wpcontent/uploads/2016/11/VBP-Readiness-and-Success-Brochure-Dec-15-2016.pdf. This first-of-its kind VBP learning opportunity is appropriate for provider agencies at any stage of the VBP process, whether your organization is just beginning to discuss VBP, or if you’ve already entered into VBP arrangements with others. You can’t afford to miss learning more about this priority topic that is the predominant focus of New York health care policymaking and payment. Online registration is at www.eventville.com/hcanys.

DOH Releases List of 2015-16 QIVAPP Awardees Last week, the state Department of Health (DOH) shared with HCA a list of those home care providers servicing New York City that were awarded monies under the 2015-16 round of the Quality Incentive Vital Access Provider Pool (QIVAPP) program and the amount of funding they are expected to receive. DOH had earlier decided that the 2015-16 funding ($70 million) would be provided to those found QIVAPPeligible for 2014-15 and to any additional home care agencies found eligible after submitting documentation. In early September, DOH announced that five additional agencies that did not receive funding for the 2014-15 period were qualified to receive QIVAPP for 2015-16. While the monies will initially go to MLTC plans, the plans are required to pass the entire amounts on to their eligible home care contractors. The funds are expected to be sent to MLTC plans once the state Division of Budget issues an approval. At that time, the plans are expected to have 30 days to forward the monies to home care providers. Unlike the funding for 2014-15, which was in two payments, the state will be issuing one QIVAPP payment for 2015-16. HCA will inform members once we know when the MLTC plans will be sent the monies. QIVAPP was initially intended to help New York City home care agencies with the added labor costs that resulted from the state Wage Parity law. However, DOH added restrictive eligibility criteria that limited

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

which agencies qualified during the 2014-15 period, a point that HCA targeted in our advocacy as being contrary to the program’s intent. If you want to find out the amount of QIVAPP funding you will be receiving, please send an e-mail to Andrew Koski at akoski@hcanys.org. Depending on the volume of requests, please expect that some responses may take some time to compile.

Sen. Schumer Has Taken Notice: Keep Up Your Messages on S.578 Using HCA Advocacy Tool HCA has received word from our Washington representatives that U.S. Senator Charles Schumer has taken notice of your messages supporting S.578/H.R.1342, also known as the “Home Health Care Planning Improvement Act.” We are repeating our call for you to use HCA’s Legislative Action Center to write Senator Schumer on this bill today if you haven’t already, and please urge your staff to do the same. All you have to do is click the link at http://p2a.co/U4PrIKi, enter your contact information, and hit the “send” button. It takes less than a minute of your time! So far, you and your colleagues throughout the state have sent more than 600 messages to Senator Schumer expressing support. We need to continue pressing on this bill, especially now with reports that your advocacy is bolstering the Senator’s support for the measure as one of his priorities in the postelection deliberations of Congress. His support is crucial for getting this important, commonsense measure passed in the Senate during the “lame-duck” session. As previously reported, this bipartisan-sponsored bill would allow nurse practitioners, physician assistants, clinical nurse specialists and other non-physician advance-practice professionals to order and certify Medicare home health services. This flexibility is especially important in communities where physician shortages exist. By granting this flexibility, urgently needed home care services would commence more smoothly and with the same assurance of expert, third-party clinical oversight. Please send your messages today. We thank you for your advocacy.

DOH Publishes Updated Hospice Medicaid Rates The state Department of Health’s (DOH) Bureau of Residential Health Care this week published the Hospice Medicaid rates for October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017, and the rates have been forwarded to the Division of Program Operation and Systems (and eMedNY) for payment. The rates, designated by the Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area (SMSA), have been posted to the Department’s public website at: http://www.health.ny.gov/facilities/long_term_care/reimbursement/ hospice/. For hospices that have filed their Certification for Recruitment, Training and Retention (RT&R), the published rates include a 3 percent add-on payment authorized by Section 4013 of the Public Health Law

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

(PHL) and a payment of $9.92 per day as the allocable portion of the payments authorized by Section 3614.9 of the PHL. These funds are solely for the purposes of improving recruitment, training and retention of nonsupervisory personnel with direct patient care responsibility, and hospices are prohibited from using such funds for any other purposes. DOH also notes that there will be a change to the Medicaid Routine Home Care (RHC) rates. The rule change incorporates two rates that will result in a higher base payment for the first 60 days of hospice care and a reduced base payment for days of hospice service thereafter. It also establishes a service intensity add-on (SIA) payment to the RHC rates for services provided by a registered nurse or social worker during the last seven days of a beneficiary’s life. The change is estimated to be completed later this month and the rate changes for the RHC and SIA will be implemented in rates effective December 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017. HCA appreciates the Department including the new hospice rate methodology change, as we have made numerous inquiries throughout 2016 as to when DOH would make this change to include the two new RHC rates as well as the new SIA adjustments. For specific questions about the rates, HCA hospice providers can contact DOH at (518) 473-4421. For further information contact Patrick Conole at (518) 810-0661 or pconole@hcanys.org.

CMS Issues Guidance to State Surveyors on Emergency Preparedness Rule The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a memorandum to State Survey Agency Directors on implementation plans for the federal emergency preparedness regulation. The memorandum is at https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/ SurveyCertificationGenInfo/Downloads/Survey-and-Cert-Letter-17-05.pdf. CMS advises the states that it expects to complete interpretive guidelines and survey procedures in the spring of 2017. Once the guidance is published, providers will have several months to prepare for the November 15, 2017 implementation deadline. The memorandum includes links to resources and an updated Frequently Asked Questions document at https:/ /www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertEmergPrep/Downloads/FrequentlyAsked-Questions-FAQs.pdf. As described in numerous newsletter articles, the federal rule requires home health agencies and hospices to develop, maintain, and update annually the following items: an emergency preparedness plan; policies and procedures; communication plan; and training and testing. The rule is at https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-09-16/pdf/2016-21404.pdf. HCA has been in discussions with the state Department of Health (DOH) about ways to diminish any duplicative or unreasonable aspects of the rule, including our request for DOH to create a crosswalk between existing state regulatory and procedural requirements and those included in the federal rule. Such a crosswalk

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

would emphasize those areas where existing provider planning and compliance under state rule are sufficient for compliance with the federal rule. HCA has also requested that the costs for the rule’s implementation be considered in setting provider and managed care plan rates/premiums, and the need for assistance with provider education and support for implementing the new rule.

Local Emergency Preparedness Sessions Convening in Northeast & Capital Regions HCA and the New York State Association of Health Care Providers (HCP) partnered to conduct two locallyfocused emergency preparedness sessions in the Northeast area of the state this week, and two similar sessions are scheduled to convene next week for the broader Capital area. These sessions follow multiple sessions in Western New York this past spring, and will eventually be convened by HCA and HCP for all the state’s regions. The sessions bring together participants from local home care agencies, hospices, county offices of emergency management and county health departments for networking and engagement on critical issues in emergency preparedness and response. The sessions include overviews of home care and hospice emergency preparedness issues, challenges, needs and recommendations, as well as similar overviews by local emergency managers and public health preparedness directors, breakout sessions matching providers and county officials, and then large-group discussions of findings and next steps. The principal goals are to foster information exchange and collaboration. This week’s sessions were convened for providers and local managers in Franklin, Clinton and Essex counties, and then for Hamilton, Washington, Warren and Saratoga counties. Next week’s sessions will be held on November 10 for providers and emergency preparedness managers serving Otsego, Delaware, Schoharie and Fulton counties (10 a.m. to noon, hosted at SUNY Cobleskill) and for Montgomery, Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer, Columbia and Greene counties (2 to 4 p.m.) at the UAlbany College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cyber-Security, the nation’s first such college. (Registration is at capacity for the U-Albany session). HCA and HCP are conducting these sessions as collaborative partners with the state Department of Health. Home Care Agencies Participate in Western New York “WRECKIT” Drill/Exercise This week, the Western New York regional office of the state Health Department and partners conducted a weeklong preparedness drill and exercise for providers in the region. The drill – dubbed WRECKIT, or Western Region Emergency Communications, Knowledge and Information Tests – was staged with evolving, daily developments leading to a late-week simulated winter storm impact. HCA partnered with WRECKIT designers over the summer and steadily promoted home care agency participation in the drill. On Thursday, DOH sent a HERDS survey alert to providers in the impacted region to gather information on home care patients living in the affected areas. Home care’s participation in the drill provided helpful information for planners to better understand the impact on home care patients and

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

agencies. It will also help promote better integration of home care’s needs in the broader emergency preparedness structure.

HCA/IPRO Home Care Sepsis Webinar No. 3 Being Rescheduled

November ‘Aware Prepare’ Issued

The November 9 Home Care Sepsis Tool Webinar No. 3, co-conducted by HCA and IPRO, is being rescheduled to provide opportunity to present you with models of electronic health record (EHR) integration for the tool, including presentations by systems personnel at agencies modeling the integration.

In other emergency preparedness news, DOH has issued the emergency preparedness Aware Prepare document for November. It is at http:// hca-nys.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ 2016_November_AP.pdf. Aware Prepare contains helpful announcements, guidance and other resource information on health emergency preparedness and all providers are urged to review it. Act to Voice Support for Essential Personnel Legislation! Lastly, it is imperative that all home care and hospice providers, managed long term care plans and supportive community leaders urge Governor Cuomo to sign this year’s “essential personnel” bill for home care and hospice personnel needing to access their patients in emergencies. HCA has covered this issue extensively, and circulated an alert with background and links to HCA’s Legislative Action Center, which makes communicating your support as easy as possible. You can participate in the campaign by writing Governor Cuomo at http://p2a.co/ cZ6Bdn9. Please also write to the Senate and Assembly sponsors of this bill to bolster their support at http://p2a.co/ef49C7J. Please act on this critical bill! Governor Cuomo needs to hear from providers, staff, families and local leaders to prioritize his signature of this measure. For further information on these or any other emergency preparedness matters, please contact Al Cardillo at acardillo@hcanys.org or Alexandra Blais at ablais@hcanys.org.

While webinar no. 3 had initially been devoted to a “Train the Trainer” session, HCA and IPRO believe that this training session should follow the EHR session; thus, we will devote a new, 4th webinar to Train the Trainer. We will follow soon with notice of the new dates and logistics for webinars no. 3 and 4. For questions, please contact Al Cardillo at acardillo@hcanys.org; Sara Butterfield at sbutterfield@nyqio.sdps.org; or Eve Bankert at Eve.Bankert@area-I.hcqis.org.

Claims from Non-Validating Providers Will be Pended eMedNY reminds providers that, effective October 27, 2016, all claims from nonrevalidating billing providers will be pended until the provider’s revalidation package is received. To avoid interruption of claims payment, providers must revalidate immediately as follows: 1. Visit the Provider Enrollment page at www.emedny.org/revalidation, locate the enrollment form and additional required documentation applicable to your provider type and determine

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

whether an enrollment fee is required. There is a slide presentation, step-by-step processes, and a frequently asked questions (FAQ) section. These resources provide important information on the revalidation process. 2. Complete and mail the appropriate form(s) with all required documentation to the address provided. Keep a copy of the submitted forms and documentation for your records. Next Steps: 1. Allow 2 to 3 weeks for processing. Once your completed revalidation is received, all claims that have been held due to missing or late revalidation will be released for processing during that cycle. 2. If more than 3 weeks have passed after sending the revalidation to eMedNY, please contact providerenrollment@health.ny.gov with the subject “FINAL REVALIDATION NOTICE” and provide all pertinent information regarding your submission, such as the date you sent it, and the address you sent it to, so that staff can research it. 3. The remittance message for these pended claims is: Health Claim Status Code: 46 INTERNAL REVIEW/AUDIT. If you have additional questions about revalidation, including whether your agency is due to revalidate, contact eMedNY at 800-343-9000, option 2 or providerenrollment@health.ny.gov with the subject “FINAL REVALIDATION NOTICE”. The Affordable Care Act requires revalidation of all Medicaid and Medicare providers every five years. This process involves the submission of information on the provider’s ownership, managing employees, agents, persons with a control interest, as well as current business addresses, specialties, etc.

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

HCC Member Forum Convenes December 6 Please join the staff of HCA, member colleagues, and the home care community for the next Home Care Council of HCA Member Forum on December 6 in New York City. Participation in HCA Member Forums gives you an opportunity to interact with HCA staff and members, and exchange valuable information with your colleagues. Some of the vital issues to be covered include: 

Update on HRA contracts and other important topics;



Funding for minimum wage increase;



QIVAPP final awards;



FLSA funding and state survey;



CDPAP changes;



Uniform billing codes;



Other policy changes; and



Future education programs.

Home Care Council of HCA Member Forum Tuesday, December 6, 2016 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Hunter College Brookdale Campus 425 East 25th Street Download the registration form at http:// hca-nys.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/ 11/HCC-Forum-12-6-16-RegistrationForm.pdf.

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

New York State Labor Changes Proposed for White Collar Exemption On October 19, the state Department of Labor (DOL) issued a proposed rule to increase the minimum salary thresholds for the state’s “white collar” exemptions, following closely on the heels of recent finalized federal regulations increasing the “white collar” salary exemptions for overtime applicability under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). A memo on the FLSA changes is available at http://hca-nys.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/White-CollarOvertime-Rule-Memo_FINAL_060116.pdf. The more recent state proposed regulations are at http:// labor.ny.gov/legal/laws/pdf/minimum-wage/19-amended-rule.pdf. Currently, the salary threshold for classification as an exempt executive or administrative employee under New York State law is $675 a week, well below the updated FLSA “white collar” exemption salary threshold of $913 per week set to take effect December 1, 2016. However, the proposed state levels would eventually outpace the federal thresholds during the out-years of implementation. The table below shows the new state-proposed minimum weekly salary threshold levels for classification as an exempt executive or administrative employee, along with the effective dates for each location in New York. Employer type and location

Effective dates and weekly salary threshold amounts

Dec. 31, 2016

Dec. 31, 2017

Dec. 31, 2018

Dec. 31, 2019

Dec. 31, 2020

Dec. 31, 2021

NYC (11 or more employees)

$825

$975

$1,125

NYC (10 or fewer employees)

$787.50

$900

$1,012.50

$1,125

$750

$825

$900

$975

$1,050

$1,125

$727.50

$780

$832

$885

$937.50

Nassau, Suffolk, & Westchester Counties Remainder of State

Notably these proposed salary threshold increases are not in line with the FLSA threshold increase. If these proposed rules are adopted, New York State’s “white collar” exemption salary thresholds will exceed the FLSA thresholds by 2018. Unlike the regulation that increases the federal FLSA exemption salary thresholds, New York’s proposed rule is still open for public comment. Employers should take note that, if adopted, the initial proposed threshold increase will take effect on December 31, 2016. Despite the significant implications of the state’s proposed rule, its publicity pales in comparison to the attention garnered by its federal counterpart. Employers are reminded that it is important to ensure compliance with both federal and state standards when determining whether an employee is eligible for the “white collar” exemption. For instance, providers need to comply with the more stringent threshold when the state or federal levels are different. More information on the federal changes is at https://www.dol.gov/WHD/overtime/final2016/. This article has been prepared for HCA by our legal counsel at Jackson Lewis, PC.

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

Influenza Update As reported to members two weeks ago, the Healthcare Personnel Vaccination Report was activated on November 1 and will remain open until May 1, 2017. This year’s Report covers health care personnel employed or affiliated with your agency from October 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017 and your agency should enter data now, or as soon as data is available, and then resubmit as often as is necessary as new personnel join your agency and/or submit documentation of vaccination. The report may be accessed on the Health Electronic Response Data System (HERDS) at https:// commerce.health.state.ny.us. An updated pre-recorded webinar training session for the Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination Report is at www.health.ny.gov/FluMaskReg (under “Training”). The state still has not declared influenza prevalent and thus the flu-mask requirement is not in effect yet. This will be announced at a later date, at which time HCA will notify members; it will also be posted on the Health Commerce System and/or at www.health.ny.gov/flumaskreg. Under this measure, once activated, home care and other health care personnel who are not vaccinated against influenza for the current influenza season must wear a surgical or procedure mask while working in areas where patients or residents may be present. This applies during the timeframe, identified by the Commissioner of the state Department of Health (DOH), whereby it is determined that influenza is prevalent. Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report On October 15, DOH posted its first Weekly Influenza Surveillance Report. These reports (available at http:// www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/influenza/surveillance/) describe: the influenza activity level; the number of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases; the number of specimens submitted and positive results; the number of patients hospitalized with influenza; and the number of influenza-associated pediatric deaths.

CMS Announces RAC Contractors The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced this week that it has awarded the next round of Medicare fee-for-service Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) contracts for various regions of the country. Four of the regional contracts are largely for non-home care post-payment review activities. However, a separate Region 5 contract, awarded to Performant Recovery, Inc., will be dedicated to the postpayment review of home health agencies, hospices and DME claims nationally. Maps depicting the new regions and related RACs are available in the ‘Downloads’ section at: https:// www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Monitoring-Programs/Medicare-FFS-CompliancePrograms/Recovery-Audit-Program/index.html. CMS will continue to update this website with more information on the implementation of the new RACs. For further information, contact Patrick Conole at (518) 810-0661 or pconole@hcanys.org.

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

SED Proposes Rule for Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants The state Education Department (SED) has issued a proposed rule related to education requirements for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants. The rule was proposed to conform to Chapter 124 of the Laws of 2016, which amended the education requirements for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants to “provide the Department with the flexibility to grant licenses to applicants who have completed an education, or its equivalent, that exceeds the current requirements for licensure as either an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant.” The rule is described in the November 2 New York State Register at http://docs.dos.ny.gov/info/register/ 2016/nov2/toc.html. Under the proposed regulatory amendment, in order to meet the professional education requirement for licensure as an occupational therapist, the applicant must present evidence of: 1) at least a bachelor’s or master’s degree in occupational therapy from a program registered by SED or accredited by a national accreditation agency which is satisfactory to SED, or its equivalent, as determined by SED; or 2) completion of a program satisfactory to SED of not less than four years of postsecondary study which includes the professional study of occupational therapy and which culminates in the degree or diploma accepted by the civil authorities of the country in which the studies were completed as preparation in occupational therapy in that country. To meet the professional education requirement for licensure as an occupational therapy assistant, SED proposes that an applicant must complete at least a two-year associate degree program for occupational therapy assistants registered by SED or accredited by a national accreditation agency which is satisfactory to SED, or its equivalent, as determined by SED. Public comments will be accepted until December 19.

Workers’ Compensation Board Announces 2017 Assessment Rate The Workers’ Compensation Board has announced that the assessment rate for all employers for calendar year 2017 shall be 12.2 percent of the standard premium or premium equivalent. The new rate will be effective for policies renewing on or after January 1, 2017 and represents a decrease from the 2016 rate of 12.9 percent. Any questions on the assessment rate should be directed to the Workers’ Compensation Board at: WCBFinanceOffice@wcb.ny.gov.

The Situation Report: the Home Care Association of New York State

Volume 1, No. 9 November 7, 2016 

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

Change Request 9585: Denial of Home Health Payments When Required Patient Assessment is Not Received (https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/ MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/MM9585.pdf)



Change Request 9826: Correcting Editing for Condition Code 54 and Updating Remittance Advice Messages on Home Health Claims (https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-LearningNetwork-MLN/MLNMattersArticles/Downloads/MM9826.pdf)

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

Resources 

“Information on the Implementation Plans for Emergency Preparedness Regulation,” by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and-Certification/SurveyCertificationGenInfo/ Downloads/Survey-and-Cert-Letter-17-05.pdf



“Family Caregivers & Managed Long-Term Services and Supports,” by AARP Public Policy Institute http://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/ppi/2016-08/AARP1080_FSandMLTSS_REPORT_WEB.pdf



“Provider Compliance Tips for Home Health Services (Part A non DRG),” by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services https://www.cms.gov/Outreach-and-Education/Medicare-Learning-Network-MLN/MLNProducts/ Downloads/ProviderComplianceTipsforHomeHealthServices-ICN909413.pdf

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

HCA Presents

Tools, Resources and Knowledge for

VBP Readiness and Success

Thursday, December 15, 2016 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tarrytown 455 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591

Tools, Resources and Knowledge for

VBP Readiness and Success Medicare and Medicaid policymakers are moving aggressively and deliberately toward Value Based Payment (VBP) systems. These systems will induce health care providers to assume a greater level of risk – as well as potential reward – in their relationships with payors and other providers. Home care is no exception! To succeed and gain rewards under value-based payments, you must understand your data, prepare your staff, know your value-proposition, and position your agency wisely to mitigate risk and avoid cost liability. This December 15 conference, entitled “Tools, Resources and Knowledge for VBP Readiness and Success,” will provide you with all of these necessary methods and insights. HCA, through a series of education programs in 2015 and 2016, has already provided home care agencies with a glimpse of how VBP is designed, how it is intended to work, and how agencies can position themselves for success in VBP provider arrangements. As a next step, on December 15, HCA has assembled some of the most knowledgeable policymakers to provide tangible tools, resources and inside knowledge to promote your organizational readiness for VBP. Don’t miss this program – the first of its kind – which will provide tailored guidance to agencies seeking positive partnerships and contracts in a VBP environment. This event is appropriate for provider agencies at any point in the VBP process, whether your organization is just beginning to discuss VBP, or if you’ve already entered into value based arrangements with others.

Thursday, December 15, 2016 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tarrytown 455 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591

AGENDA 8:00 – 8:45AM Registration and Breakfast 8:45 – 9:00AM HCA Welcome 9:00 – 10:15AM Agency Operational Readiness for Value Based Payment Relationships (TBA) Knowledge of VBP policy directives and the State’s vision is essential to preparing to participate in VBP. What’s even more important is to assess your own agency’s readiness and strengths and weaknesses. Learn about tools and resources that will enable you to assess your organization’s readiness to: participate in VBP arrangements; determine your gaps in readiness; identify critical next steps; and better understand how to position your organization effectively for VBP success. 10:15 – 10:30AM Break

10:30 – 11:30AM Workforce Investment – the State MLTC Workforce Initiative Kalin Scott, Director, Medicaid Redesign Team Project Management Office, NYS Department of Health The New York State Department of Health (DOH) is poised to grant $250 million in new funding for workforce training aimed at ensuring that home care workers, in a new managed care environment, are adequately trained to meet the needs of a frail, elderly and disabled population. DOH officials are still determining how the funds will be made available, as well as the types of training programs that will likely be offered and the launch process for this program. However, there is already tremendous work being done in the design of these new workforce funds, and home care agencies can benefit from getting an early tip on what’s to come. Hear from the state’s point person on the outline of this workforce training program, including how home care agencies can access the funding, as this initiative could be key to preparing your workforce for the VBP transition and ensuring that your agency has a workforce ready to move with you as policies and payment models shift.

Tools, Resources and Knowledge for VBP Readiness and Success 11:30AM – 12:30PM VBP Insights for Home Care from the Payor’s Perspective Joseph Twardy, Assistant Vice President, Care Management, Fidelis Care Robert Hinckley, SVP, Strategy and Communications, and Chief Strategy Officer, CDPHP Health Plan David Ackman, MD, MPH, Medical Director, Provider Engagement, Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Plus (Invited) Your success in a VBP environment hinges on strong partnerships with managed care plans, which are already a driving force for payment, service-authorization, caremanagement and shared-risk arrangements in home care, and increasingly so under VBP. Hear from a panel of payor representatives who will discuss: what drives decision-making in their contracting relationships; the most important value-driven elements in a home care relationship; and what data home care agencies need to bring to the table in their contracting discussions with plans. 12:30 – 1:15PM Lunch 1:15 – 4:15PM Data Workshop: Using Agency Data to Drive Decisionmaking Barbara Katz, RN, MSN Internal data assessment is one of the most powerful and proactive steps a home care agency can take on the eve of Value Based Payment implementation in the Medicaid and Medicare marketplaces. This session will provide a deep dive into your clinical data through an established and proven four-step process (Ask, Assemble, Analyze, Act) using powerful tools, including: benchmarking, percentages and rates, graphs and charts, check-sheets, stratification and trending. Don’t know what all of that means? That’s okay! This interactive workshop will teach you the techniques for using data to improve outcomes, lower costs and improve patient satisfaction – all critical to success in a VBP environment. 4:15PM Closing Remarks and Adjourn

Tools, Resources and Knowledge for

VBP Readiness and Success Thursday, December 15, 2016 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tarrytown 455 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591

Hotel Information

REGISTRANT INFORMATION – Please register by December 8. Name: __________________________________________________________________________ Title:____________________________________________________________________________

A small block of rooms has been secured at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Tarrytown, 455 S. Broadway, Tarrytown, NY 10591 for the evening of December 14 at a discounted rate of $159.

Agency:_________________________________________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip:____________________________________________________________________ Phone:________________________________ Ext._________ Fax: _________________________ Email: ___________________________________________________________________________ (Required)

Attendees may make reservations using the Group Code HC1 by either logging in to www.tarrytown.doubletree.com or calling the hotel direct

914-524-6418. before November 15.

HCA REGISTRATION FEE □ HCA Members

$219 per person

$________

HCA Cancellation Policy

□ Prospective Member

$319 per person

$________

HCA registration cancellations received by December 1 are refundable less a 25% administrative fee. No refunds will be issued after this date.

PAYMENT – Please check method of payment: ________MasterCard

_______VISA

______American Express

______Check*

*Make checks payable to: HCA Education and Research and mail to 388 Broadway, 4th Floor, Albany, NY 12207. Checks must be received by December 15. ______________________________________________________________________________ Card Number _____________________________________ _______________________________________ Expiration Date Security Code ______________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address of Card Holder ______________________________________________________________________________ City, State, Zip ______________________________________________________________________________ Name on Card ______________________________________________________________________________ Authorized Signature

Cancellations must be received in writing at info@hcanys.org. Substitutions are permitted. Please note DoubleTree’s cancellation policy when making your reservation.

Special Needs In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, or special dietary needs, please let us know how we can accommodate you:

________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________

FAX completed form to HCA at (518) 426-8788 - or - Register online at: https://www.eventville.com/hcanys

HCA Quality & Technology Symposium November 16-17, 2016

Embassy Suites by Hilton Saratoga Springs 86 Congress St Saratoga Springs, New York, 12866

HCA Quality & Technology Symposium Quality and Technology Solutions for Value-Driven Home Care November 16-17, 2016 Embassy Suites by Hilton Saratoga Springs 86 Congress St, Saratoga Springs, New York, 12866

The path of success in a value-based payment environment begins at the intersection of quality and technology. HCA’s Quality & Technology Symposium brings you to this intersection by demonstrating ways that emerging technologies build bridges of connectivity, increase accuracy and efficiencies in care and operations, and drive quality and value in home care. To thrive in an environment of integrated payments and services, home care providers must also prioritize their demonstration of quality, for the sake of accountability, to enter new marketplaces, and to offer concrete value-propositions for system partners. This conference will present some of the unique technological and programmatic approaches being innovated by providers and policymakers for driving positive clinical outcomes,and focusing your clinical intervention strategies on core areas of need. As a special bonus, we’re also holding a post-conference session on “Data-Driven QAPI,” offering personalized, hands-on, and customized guidance to help you interpret your quality data – plus, you’ll be eligible for CEUs! Don’t miss this exceptional opportunity to get your agency ready to meet the imperatives of quality enhancement and technological integration!

Agenda Wednesday, November 16 8:30AM Registration and Light Breakfast

1:45 - 3:15PM New Developments in Sepsis Identification and Detection in the Home Care Setting Sara Butterfield, RN, BSN, CPHQ, CCM, Director, Health Care Quality Improvement Program, IPRO Amy Bowerman, RN, Director of Quality Improvement/Privacy Officer at Mohawk Valley Health Systems-Home Care Services and Director of Patient Services, Senior Network Health

9:00AM HCA Welcome 9:00 –10:30AM State Perspectives on Quality Performance Measures & Payment Innovation Patrick Roohan, Director, Office of Quality and Safety, New York State Department of Health Raina Josberger, Bureau of Quality Management & Improvement, New York State Department of Health (Invited) New York State Health Department officials will share insights about the state’s priorities and planning to improve quality in the home care environment through performance measures, policy advancement, innovations in payment models and other initiatives.

Sepsis is the number-one driver of hospital readmissions in New York. More than 1.6 million people are diagnosed with sepsis nationally, and it is the highest cost factor for hospitalizations in the U.S., at approximately $20 billion per year. There are few other concrete areas of intervention that can have a more pronounced effect on outcomes, and home care is especially equipped to help, given that the vast majority of sepsis cases occur in the community setting.

10:30AM – 10:45AM Break

HCA’s Adult Sepsis Screening Tool for Home Care is a cuttingedge clinical resource that is garnering national attention for its ability to support the early detection and intervention of sepsis in the home care setting. This session will provide an overview of the tool’s components, design, development and strategies for adoption and implementation.

10:45 – Noon EHR Network Integration in Home Care Christina Galanis, President and CEO, HealthLinkNY Elizabeth Amato, Director of Statewide Services, NY eHealth Collaborative Hear from two of the state’s most influential health information technology experts about technology policies that are influencing and shaping the landscape for the state’s home care provider community.

3:00 – 3:30PM Extended Break and Vendor Networking 3:30 – 4:30PM Role of Home Care in Population Health Management Noreen Nelson, PhD, Clinical Assistant Professor, NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing

12:00 – 1:00PM Lunch 1:00 – 1:45PM Advancing Patient-Centered Care through Technology Innovations JB Powell, CipherHealth Post-Acute & Bundled Payment Solutions Adrienne Nolan, CipherHealth DSRIP and Government Programs Technology solutions are rapidly evolving to help healthcare organizations better utilize technology throughout the continuum of care. For home health agencies currently engaged in DSRIP networks or participating in support of BPCI and CJR bundled payment initiatives, patient engagement and care coordination are critical factors in realizing overall success under these and other value-based payment models. In this session, CipherHealth will share their innovative solutions designed to help post-acute care providers leverage their data, communications and engagement to improve clinical outcomes and achieve higher levels of patient satisfaction.

Population health management is getting some heavy focus from federal and state policymakers aiming to improve health outcomes in a value-based payment environment. Learn from a national population health clinical expert how home care providers can play a pivotal role in delivering positive population health outcomes. 4:30PM Wrap Up and Adjourn

Agenda Thursday, November 17 8:00AM Registration and Light Breakfast

11:00 – Noon Enhancing Health Literacy for Improved Outcomes in Home Care Misty Kevech, RN, BS Ed, MS, COS-C, CCP, CPTM Cindy Sun, MSN, RN, COS-C Crystal Welch, MSN, RN

8:30-9:30AM An Up Close Look at a Home Care Led Bundled Payment Program Amy Weiss, Vice President, Solution Development, Visiting Nurse Service of New York Whether its value-based payments, your current MLTC contract arrangements, or a range of federal program initiatives, bundled payment models are a core feature of many new clinical models to share risk, target interventions for specific populations, and reduce costs. Visiting Nurse Service of New York, the largest not-for-profit home and community based health care organization in the U.S., is actively participating in CMS’s Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) program as a risk-bearing episode initiator. In this session, VNSNY will share insights on the following topics related to its work on BPCI: • • • •

Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Health literacy affects the majority of Americans, especially underserved populations and people that are 65 years or older, which are key home care demographics. Beyond delivering direct-care services, one of home care’s core strengths is its ability to educate and assess the social and environmental determinants of health, putting the patient at the center of his or her own decision-making. To do this, home care staff all need baseline health literacy skills – and the ability to assess and instill these basic concepts in the patient care teaching environment, so patients can best self-determine their care, as well as follow and understand their treatment plans.

Redesigning care to meet the needs of the target population Innovating through technology and data management Challenges and lessons learned Future opportunities for home care agencies in the bundled payments space

This session will delve into key components of health literacy including: assessment, interventions, tips, and tools to improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Participants will learn actionable ways to enhance health literacy among direct-care staff as well as patients and family caregivers by:

9:30-10:45AM The Value Proposition for Physician-Home Care Partnerships Cyndi Nassivera-Reynolds, VP, Transformation & Clinical Quality, Hudson Headwaters Health Network

• The home care-physician partnership has long been a staple of quality, care transitions and oversight. Physician buy-in and understanding of home care’s role are vital for authorization of services, but also, increasingly, for unique new partnerships in care delivery. Hear from one of the state’s most innovative providers about ground-breaking partnerships being forged between physicians and home care that are improving care delivery, providing high quality outcomes, and saving dollars.

•

Identifying three red flags that indicate health literacy issues. Explaining how to check written patient materials for readability levels. Describing one method to assess patient's understanding of patient education/instructions.

Noon Wrap Up and Adjourn

10:45AM Break

Be sure to check out the Post- Conference HHQI Workshop – Bonus Session! 3

Post- Conference HHQI Workshop – Bonus Session! Thursday, November 17 1:00 – 5:00PM

Building & Sustaining Data-Driven QAPI Misty Kevech, RN, BS Ed, MS, COS-C, CCP, CPTM Cindy Sun, MSN, RN, COS-C Crystal Welch, MSN, RN During this interactive workshop, RN Project Coordinators from the Home Health Quality Improvement (HHQI) National Campaign team will provide personalized, hands-on guidance on data interpretation and the next steps toward developing and sustaining a strong Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement (QAPI) plan.

Bring Your HHQI Data Reports for Personalized Assistance HHQI uses OASIS data to generate custom data reports on high-priority topics such as Acute Care Hospitalizations (ACH) for all CMS-reporting home health agencies. You are encouraged to bring these reports with you to this session for personalized guidance on interpretation as well as suggested next steps. To access your agency’s custom reports, register or login to the HHQI Data Access System. Sample reports will be provided for those who do not bring their agency’s custom reports.

Learning Objectives: • Interpret your agency's HHQI ACH Data Reports and identify gaps in patient care • Distinguish a minimum of three free evidence-based tools/resources to address gaps in patient care • List three additional support resources to assist with development and sustainment of a Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement (QAPI) plan

* 3.75 Nursing CEs for this activity will be provided.

Data-Driven QAPI 4

Thanks to our Program Sponsors!

HCA Quality & Technology Symposium REGISTRATION FORM

November 16-17, 2016 Embassy Suites by Hilton Saratoga Springs 86 Congress St Saratoga Springs, New York, 12866

Registration Deadline is November 7. Name: ________________________________________________________________ Title:_________________________________________________________________ Agency:_______________________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip:_________________________________________________________ Phone:_______________________________________________ Ext._____________ Email: ________________________________________________________________ (Required) Register Online at

www.eventville.com/hcanys FEE SCHEDULE FOR FULL SYMPOSIUM Rates are Per Person (Nov 16 & 17)

Hotel Information A small block of rooms has been secured at the Embassy Suites, 86 Congress Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 for the evenings of November 15 and November 16 at a discounted rate of $149. To make your overnight accommodations, call the hotel directly at 518-290-9090 before October 21 and ask for the Home Care Association of New York State rate.

Reduced National Home Care Recognition Month Rate for HCA Members Only:

$269 □

□ $0 Yes, I will attend (Free the post-conference session

Prospective Member Rate

$399 □

□ $0 Yes, I will attend (Free) the post-conference session

PAYMENT Please check method of payment: (Checks must be received by date of program). ____MC

____VISA

____ AM EXP

____ Check*

*Make checks payable to : HCA Education and Research and mail to: 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 Cancellations received in writing via email to info@hcanys.org by November 7, are refundable less a 25% administrative fee. No refunds are permitted after this date or for no shows. Substitutions are permitted.

Please fax to: (518) 426-8788

388 Broadway Fourth Floor Albany, NY 12207