National Association for Home Care & Hospice

Session : NAHC1120
900: Opening General Session & Washington Update
Conference : 2011 Home Care & Hospice March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference & Exposition
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National Association for Home Care & Hospice policy staff engaged in negotiations with Congress, federal agencies and other policymaking bodies will provide inside information on issues of vital interest to home care and hospice providers. Your representatives on the front lines will present the latest on legislative, regulatory, legal and research developments relative to the prospective payment system, conditions of participation, quality monitoring and other vital issues.

Objectives: Identify pending regulatory issues and analyze their impact on home care and hospice agencies; Analyze pending legislative proposals for impact on home care and hospice operations; and Outline industry advocacy efforts and response to pending legislative and regulatory proposals.

Val J. Halamandaris, JD President, National Association for Home Care & Hospice

Faculty: Legal, Legislative, and Regulatory Staff, National Association for Home Care & Hospice, Washington, DC

Session : NAHC1125
104. EHR Interoperability: Why Bother?
Conference : 2011 Home Care & Hospice March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference & Exposition
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As physicians and hospitals advance plans to implement integrated electronic health record (EHR) systems and reengineer business and clinical process, its critical that home health and hospice take part in demonstrations of meaningful use. Learn why EHR certification is crucial to advancing care coordination and the transition of care between acute care providers and home care and hospice providers. NAHCs Home Care Technology Association of America (HCTAA) is providing this educational session so that agencies can see the value of certification and how meaningful use standards can save money, improve quality, and provide better outcomes.

Objectives: Learn the value of certification and its importance to home care and hospice providers and their patients; Realize how meaningful use standards and the interoperability of health information can be leveraged to accumulate cost savings and are applicable to Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs); Understand the importance of the new e-transition of care model; Discuss practical strategies on how to adopt and implement Certified EHRs technologies; and Review new payment models and understand how meaningful use integrates with improved quality and better outcomes.

Moderator: Charlie Daniels, President, HealthMEDX, Inc.

Panelists: John Derr, Strategic Technology, Golden Living, Washington, DC; Dan Cobb, CIO, HealthMEDX, Inc., Ozark, MO

Session : NAHC1126
105. Advocacy from A to Z - Lobby Your Member of Congress
Conference : 2011 Home Care & Hospice March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference & Exposition
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This session will familiarize participants with the methods and techniques of lobbying to empower them to communicate successfully with their members of Congress regarding home care and hospice priorities. Participants will learn how to conduct lobbying visits, avoid common errors, and do effective follow-up.

Objectives: Discuss how to conduct a lobbying visit successfully; Demonstrate what to do during the three most common types of legislative interviews and how to avoid the two most common mistakes; Outline follow-up activities; and Describe the most effective means for communicating with members of Congress

Faculty: Jeffery Kincheloe, JD, Vice President for Government Affairs/Senate, National Association for Home Care & Hospice, Washington DC

Session : NAHC1130
204. Benchmarking Data: A Critical Tool to Planning for the Future
Conference : 2011 Home Care & Hospice March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference & Exposition
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Appropriate use of benchmark data is essential for a successful business. Streams of new data are readily available for use in benchmarking by home health agencies. However, in light of the sheer volume of accessible home health data, its critical for agencies to determine what information is needed to effectively guide their business practices. This session will provide an overview of important data for home health agencies and information about how to employ that data for benchmarking agencies for maximum benefits.

Objectives: Describe available data sources for benchmarking activities; Identify means to employ to effectively sort and prioritize data; and Explain how selected data can be converted into information needed to drive business practice.

Faculty: Mark Sharp; William Bassett; Barbara Rosenblum; Richard Chesney

Session : NAHC1131
301. Impact of the Affordable Care Act One Year After Passage
Conference : 2011 Home Care & Hospice March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference & Exposition
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The Affordable Care Act included numerous provisions targeted toward home health and hospice providers. The broad topics included in the provisions were payment rate and payment methodology changes, fraud and abuse initiatives, delivery models, and quality initiatives. Topics such as physician face-to-face encounter requirements, Medicare payment rate reductions, timely claim filing, and others will be addressed in detail. This session will provide an industry perspective on the actions being taken by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement the changes mandated by the Affordable Care Act.

Objectives: List the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act affecting home health and hospice providers; Describe the actions taken by CMS to implement the various provisions; and Describe the impact of these actions on home health and hospice providers.

Faculty: William A. Dombi, Esq., Vice President for Law, Mary St. Pierre, BSN, MGA, RN, Vice President for Regulatory Affairs, both of the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, Washington, DC

Session : NAHC1132
302. Modeling the Impact of Hospice Payment Reform
Conference : 2011 Home Care & Hospice March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference & Exposition
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By October 2013 hospices could see major changes in their financial bottom lines as the current thinking on payment becomes a reality. As payment reform plans take shape, the best defense is a good offense one that includes a close review of what you are spending, when you are spending it, and what Medicare is paying for. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has recommended realignment of hospice payments and noted that following a U shaped model under which payments at the beginning and end of a length of stay are higher than payments for care in the middle of the stay would better reflect hospice costs. A leading financial consultant has been analyzing a hospices spending and using a U shaped model to project the potential impact of payment reform. Hear the latest analysis of what payment reform could mean for hospice programs, and guidance on how best to prepare your hospice for the coming financial changes.

Objectives: Identify the areas of hospice payment likely to undergo change with modifications to the payment system; Identify areas for potential financial risk under hospice payment reform; and Analyze the potential impact of payment reform on an individual hospices operations and finances.

Faculty: Robert Simione, BS, Managing Principal, Simione Consultants, Hamden, CT; Andrea Devoti, RN, MSN, MBA, CHCE, Vice President/Executive Director, Neighborhood Health Agencies, West Chester, PA

Session : NAHC1134
304. Health Information Technology Collaboration: What Works?
Conference : 2011 Home Care & Hospice March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference & Exposition
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Home care providers must be able to identify opportunities provided through recently enacted health care legislation to improve the quality and efficiency of health care. Innovators in home care technology are participating in programs that promote collaboration in clinical data exchange, transitions of care and care coordination. NAHCs Home Care Technology Association of America (HCTAA) is sponsoring this session to guide agencies in creating successful partnerships with hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, patients and family caregivers, and ensure that they are maximizing opportunities to participate in federal, state and regional health information exchange efforts.

Objectives: Understand what opportunities exist to engage in federal and state health information exchange efforts; Learn how participating in regional health information organizations (RHIOs) and health information exchanges (HIEs) can be beneficial to both home care agencies and their referral sources; Discuss different models for provider to provider collaboration (Patient Centered Medical Homes, Beacon Health Communities, voluntary exchanges between independent providers, etc.); and Identify direct and indirect incentives to participating in the demonstration of meaningful use.

Moderator: Tom Check, SVP and CIO, Visiting Nurse Service of New York, New York, NY

Panelist: Raj Shetye, VP and CIO, LHC Group, Inc., Lafayette, LA; Lisa Harvey-McPherson, President & CEO, Eastern Maine Home Care, Brewer, ME

Session : NAHC1136
402. Fraud and Abuse Law Changes in the Affordable Care Act
Conference : 2011 Home Care & Hospice March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference & Exposition
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Congress made numerous fraud and abuse changes in the Affordable Care Act that will affect home health agencies and hospices. Many of these are not limited to the home care industry, and include not just Medicare, but also Medicaid and the Childrens Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These changes include changes to the False Claims Act and obligations to report overpayments; expansion of Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) to Medicaid; Medicaid termination and exclusion provisions; and, increased provider screening and disclosure requirements. This session will provide an overview of these and other fraud and abuse changes; the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implementation actions to date; and, the impact of these changes upon the home care industry.

Objectives: List the major fraud and abuse provisions of the Affordable Care Act that will impact home health and hospice providers; Describe the actions taken by CMS to implement these provisions; and Describe the impact that these provisions will have on home health and hospice providers.

Faculty: William A. Dombi, Esq., Director, Center for Health Care Law and Vice President for Law, National Association for Home Care & Hospice, Washington, DC; Denise Bonn, Esq., Deputy Director, Center for Health Care Law, National Association for Home Care & Hospice, Washington, DC

Session : NAHC1137
501. Legal Issues in Federal Wage and Hour Law and Worker Classifications
Conference : 2011 Home Care & Hospice March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference & Exposition
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The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL)has stepped up public education and enforcement actions regarding federal minimum wage and overtime compensation laws as well as standards defining the proper classification of workers as employees or independent contractors. In addition, the DoL has announced its intention to consider modifications to the companionship services exemption under the Fair Labor Standards Act. At the same time, private litigants are pressing challenges to home care agencys use of per visit compensation without overtime pay. This workshop focuses on the current state of the law in all these areas from a home care-specific direction. Compliance with these compensation laws is the only option!

Objectives: Identify federal standards, as applied in home care settings, on minimum wages and overtime compensation; Describe the necessary considerations in the use of per visit compensation to home care employees in order to achieve compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act; and Identify federal standards for classifying workers as employees and independent contractors under employment and tax laws.

Faculty: John C. Gilliland

Session : NAHC1138
502. Legal Issues in Home Health and Hospice Transactions
Conference : 2011 Home Care & Hospice March on Washington & Law Symposium Conference & Exposition
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This session will explain the legal issues that need to be addressed in the purchase or sale of a home health agency or hospice. The first step is a process called due diligence, in which a review of potential liability risks is performed. Matters reviewed include such things as billing, compliance with Medicare Conditions of Participation and state licensing, contracts and marketing to all referral sources, and provider enrollment compliance. The program also will review the Sales Agreement or other written documents, which may address such things as indemnification, escrow, employment agreements, non-compete provisions, management agreements, and whether and under what circumstances the deal can be rescinded. In addition, Medicare provider enrollment and reporting requirements, as well as state licensing requirements, must be incorporated into the planning and addressed. This session will provide an overview of these matters and the means by which they can be addressed.

Objectives: Identify items for due diligence review and the liability risks they address; Explain the items for inclusion in the written agreements and the liability risks they address; and Describe the provider enrollment and reporting requirements and how they impact the proposed transaction.

Faculty: Denise Bonn; Kerry Parker