The possibility exists that hospice care will change more in the next few years than it has during the previous four decades. The Medicare Hospice Benefit turned 40-years-old in 2022, and in that time the program has remained fundamentally unchanged. Adjustments have occurred, like implementation of the “U-shaped curve” in reimbursement, the service intensity add-on […]
WellSky
While home health operators brace for the impact of the meager 2023 reimbursement rates, hospices likewise must prepare for a ripple effect. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently established a 0.7% base rate payment increase for home health care in 2023. While this is an improvement from the 4.2% aggregate cuts […]
A group of health care organizations is developing interoperable systems for sharing information on social determinants of health across care settings. The Sync for Social Needs Coalition seeks to standardize the types of data that providers collect from patient screenings for social determinants and develop ways to integrate that information into electronic medical records (EMR) […]
Understanding payer priorities in defining the scope of quality is vital for hospices to thrive not only in traditional Medicare, but also in today’s value-based reimbursement climate. The nitty gritty details of data tracking and management matter when it comes to ensuring both a healthy bottom line and quality patient care. This includes performance on […]
The U.S. Supreme Court may take up a False Claims Act (FCA) case involving Georgia-Based Bethany Hospice & Palliative Care LLC, despite indications from the U.S. Justice Department that such a review would be unnecessary. The case comes at a time when regulators are intensifying scrutiny on hospice providers, seeking to root out those who […]
The post-acute technology company WellSky is spreading its wings over new geographies while growing its client base and expanding its product portfolio. Underlying the company’s strategy is a drive to develop solutions designed to support patient care as consumers navigate their way through the health care system. WellSky is jointly owned by two private equity […]
Bluegrass Care Navigators names clinical services COO Lexington, Ky.-based hospice provider Bluegrass Care Navigators has named Stephanie Greene as its new chief operating officer of clinical services. She succeeds Cassie Mitchell, who left the organization to become CEO of Colorado-based HopeWest Hospice. In this COO role, Greene will be charged with overseeing operations of all […]
Recent acquisitions of large hospice and home health providers by insurance companies suggest a drive among payers to reduce financial risk and improve cost outcomes in value-based care arrangements. These deals include two of the largest in recent memory for the home-based care space. UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) recently agreed to purchase LHC Group (NASDAQ: […]
Skyrocketing demand for post-acute care services has put providers in a pickle, often forcing them to turn away new hospital referrals due to limited labor capability. This problem has been particularly pervasive for home health agencies, but it’s increasingly an issue in the hospice setting as well, according to the latest data from CarePort, a […]
Mergers-and-acquisition activity in the hospice market has run hot in recent years, with valuations reaching another year of record-highs in 2021. Meanwhile, private equity activity hit record levels as well, with an affluence of investors that flowed into hospice waters during 2021. Despite these factors, the market may be cooling down this year as investors […]