The proposed rule (CMS1754-P) can be downloaded from the Federal Register at: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/current. The star ratings come from the Family caregiver experience survey, also called the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) Hospice survey. Drug Diversion and Workplace Violence March 17 (Quality) 1 Changes in the Methodology for the 2022 Star Ratings Medicare Advantage with prescription drug coverage (MA-PD) contracts are rated on up to 38 unique quality and performance measures; MA-only contracts (without prescription drug coverage) are rated on up to 28 measures; and stand-alone PDP contracts are rated on up to 12 measures. If no scores are present for any scores, then no average Santa Barbara, CA 93117
The webinar will conclude with an update on the omnibus spending package and the extension of the flexibility for hospices to use telehealth to meet the requirement for a face-to-face visit for recertification of eligibility for an additional 151 days after the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). For example, leading plans have delivered quality-focused training to front-office staff, deployed interactive text messaging, and used predictive analytics to launch call campaigns focused on medication adherence. It is confusing to review the current eight measures and composites on Care Compare and interpret what may be most important to consider when selecting a Hospice. . Specifically CMS will resume calculating nursing homes Health Inspection and Quality Measure ratings on January 27, 2021. CMS first posted these ratings in July 2015, and CMS continues to update them quarterly based on new data posted on Care Compare. November 3 (Innovation) Plans could deploy targeted initiatives to address at-risk measures. 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244, Fiscal Year 2022 Hospice Payment Rate Update Proposed Rule CMS-1754-P, Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), The proposed rule (CMS1754-P) can be downloaded from the. This measure helps to ensure all hospice patients receive a holistic comprehensive assessment. The U.S Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) star ratings system for hospice quality may have unintended consequences for small providers. Contracts used better of performance most frequently for CAHPS measures, a category that has been gradually increasing in weighting since 202011New Stars ratings, October 15, 2020. and will reach its target weight in 2023. For some claims-based measures, we are also proposing to use three quarters rather than four quarters of data for refreshes between January 2022 and July 2024, Home Health Care Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (, CMS is working to further the mission to improve the quality of healthcare for hospice beneficiaries through measurement, transparency and public reporting of data. The organizations average daily census ranges from 25 to 30 patients most of the time, and clinicians often travel as much as 80 miles in a day for home visits. Learn about two new claims-based measures, Hospice Care Index (HCI) and Hospice Visits in the Last Days of Life (HVLDL) quality measures. Other methodologies are in development or in the eary stages of implementation, including the Hospice Care Index and the forthcoming Hospice Outcomes & Patient Evaluation (HOPE). As a complementary change, we are also proposing that hospices conduct a competency evaluation related to the deficient and related skill(s) noted during a hospice aide supervisory visit. More stars, better quality care. CMS is proposing a new measure in the HQRP called the Hospice Care Index. Come learn how one practitioner uses telehealth to improve the patient experience. CMS believes that advancing our work with use of these programs, Closing the Health Equity Gap in the Hospice Quality Reporting Program -, Consistent with Executive Order 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, CMS is committed to addressing the significant and persistent inequities in health outcomes in the United States through improving data collection to better measure and analyze disparities across programs and policies. What have we learned from patients and families that improved our patient-centered care and DEI focus? Whether we realize it or not, all hospices care for LGBTQ+ patients. This change will enable plans to more accurately predict the level of performance required on each measure to achieve a certain Star rating.12Fact sheet, October 8, 2021. For some claims-based measures, we are also proposing to use three quarters rather than four quarters of data for refreshes between January 2022 and July 2024. So when folks go to the CMS website thats supposed to help you figure out what hospice is right for your loved one, that can give them this perception that maybe their quality is not as high when the reality is they just have a small population.. First, for rating year 2023, CMS will no longer universally apply the disaster provision as it did in 2022; this provision allowed contracts to take the better of current or historical performance for most measures in 2022.4Fact sheet, October 8, 2021. This rule proposes changes to the hospice CoPs regarding hospice aide competency evaluation standards. The survey contains 47 questions and is administered to eligible decedents/caregivers from all payer sources. Accordingly, we are requesting information on advancing to digital quality measurement and the use of FHIR. Join members of the NHPCO End-of-life Doula Council for this interactive and informative webinar on how End-of-Life Doulas are an integral part of the interdisciplinary team. cause is that too many requests have been submitted recently. What is concerning is that CMS plans to use a similar approach to other CAHPS programs to calculate the star rating cut-points using statistical clustering. Alexandria, Virginia 22314, 2023 National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, Palliative Care Certification and Accreditation, Beneficiary Notices and Coverage (ABN NOMNC), Medicare Hospice Regulations and Federal Resources, Regulatory and Policy Alerts and Updates from NHPCO, Relatedness: Conditions, Medications, Drugs, Services, Terminal Illness and Related Conditions, Prognosis, and Eligibility, Community-Based Palliative Care Certificate Program, Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP). Medicare 2022: Palliative Care Update - April 28 (Community-based Palliative Care) Communication with caregivers - a significant component to driving successful outcomes - May 12 (Innovation) Regulatory Lessons Learned from One Family's Experience - May 26 (Regulatory & Compliance) Participants will be able to identify strengths and opportunities for improvement in their agencys QA program, Participants will learn about how language creates barriers to access and quality of care while on hospice and palliative care service, Participants will learn on how these factors affect the Latino/Hispanic community, Participants will be able to identify at least 2 ways to increase access to underserved populations in their area. This will allow highly skilled aides to be trained more quickly in order to provide high quality patient care while protecting patient health and safety. CMS also proposes removal of the seven individual Hospice Item Set (HIS) measures because a more broadly applicable measure, the Hospice Comprehensive Assessment Measure (NQF # 3235) for the particular topic is available and already publicly reported. We must make organizational changes at multiple levels, as part of an ongoing quality improvement plan, to demonstrate our commitment to equitable, inclusive LGBTQ+ care. Providing Whole Person Care: The Role of Social Work July 14 (Interdisciplinary Team, Interdisciplinary Team & Supportive Care) 7/12/2021 CMS released its FY 2022 proposed rules for hospice. The HHCAHPS summary star rating is calculated from the following components: The 3 star ratings from each of the 3 HHCAHPS composite measures. Distinguish between remote physiologic and remote therapeutic monitoring, Understand when a split/shared visit can be reported. Medicare Advantage Star ratings rose to all-time highs in 2022, What Medicare Advantage members want from their onboarding experience, From facility to home: How healthcare could shift by 2025, What the future holds for Medicare beneficiaries. CAHPS Hospice Survey The CAHPS Hospice Survey assesses the experiences of patients who died while receiving hospice care and their primary informal caregivers. On December 5, 2022, CMS announced one update to the NP Services BE and two updates to the 3-Day SNF Rule Waiver BE that will be effective July 1, 2023. The Tools We Use: Practical Application of the Core Screening Tools Grab & Go Toolkit Jan. 27(Community-based Palliative Care) Hospice Pepper Report Updates 2022 December 1 (Regulatory & Compliance) : the enrollment-weighted average contract rating rose to 4.37 Stars, an all-time high in the programs 12-year history.2Fact sheet - 2022 Part C and D Star ratings, CMS, October 8, 2021. Doulas are a fast-growing profession of innovative, community-based, lay caregivers complement both palliative care and hospice teams and help to improve the lives, and deaths, of those they serve. The good news for MA plans is that there is still time to act before the measurement period for rating year 2024 closes in December 2022. Identify ways to use this video and fact versus myth handout for new staff orientation and in-service education. Join your interdisciplinary peers to explore the numerous ways hospice and palliative care is transforming diversity, equity, and inclusion. ensure that you provide at least four(4) characters, to limit the Overview of ACO REACH Benefit Enhancements. At the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to: A look at some barriers to both quality of care and how it impacts quality scores as related to cultural factors. It doesnt seem logical that the 12 month rolling average of scores would show one quarter with 37% of providers achieving a 5 star rating, followed by a quarter in which the percentage of 5 star providers would be cut in half or more! Star ratings benefit the public in that they can be easier for some to understand than absolute measure scores, and they make comparisons between hospices more straightforward. Many were expected but the one I found noteworthy is the addition of public reporting for a new CAHPS Hospice Survey Star Rating. Apply disease trajectories of the dying in determining eligibility of the hospice patient. With a rolling 8 quarters of data, your CAHPS Hospice surveys this quarter will be part of your star ratings for well over a year With more than 30 years of experience in the home health and hospice industry, Chris is responsible for product development and helping clients achieve increased operational and financial performance. Hospice and palliative care providers are often called upon to switch a patient from one opioid regimen to a different opioid regimen. The biggest challenge is that were getting these hospice referrals late, and youre trying to cram a lot of teaching in to a short amount of time, Steiner told Hospice News. Telemedicine allows clinicians to be in touch with the patients and to resolve complex issues through these interactions. For example, plans that are struggling with elevated complaint volumes could analyze the root causes of those complaints and launch targeted initiatives such as member outreach campaigns to avert poor member experiences before they occur. Two weeks later, join the panel for examples of how organizations are using diversity, equity, and inclusion tools and resources to address and change cultures. measures beginning in rating year 2023.6Fact sheet, October 8, 2021. CMS allowed contracts to take the better of Star rating between 2021 and 2022 for most measures.1Fact sheet - 2022 Part C and D Star ratings, CMS, October 8, 2021. Formulate mechanisms to collect, document, and communicate sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data across interdisciplinary teams. Faculty will provide practical tips on how Providence Hospice approaches therapy for other programs to emulate. A focus on safety in delivering care at any level, by any clinician and in any care setting is crucial. What is concerning is that CMS plans to use a similar approach to other CAHPS programs to calculate the star rating cut-points using statistical clustering. Beginning with the August 2022 refresh of Care Compare, a Family Caregiver Survey Rating summary Star Rating will be publicly reported for all hospices with 75 or more completed surveys over the reporting period. For example, plans have successfully launched midyear initiatives targeting Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (for example, call campaigns promoting statin use), pharmacy measures (for example, incentive programs with retail pharmacies), and operational measures (for example, mystery-shopper campaigns to assess call-center performance). The ACO REACH Model, which is one of several CMS value-based payment models, builds upon and replaces the Direct Contracting (DC) Model, effective January 1, 2023. In response to the COVID-19 PHE, CMS issued a number of regulatory waivers in order to support providers and suppliers involved in patient care. Plans that lead on quality will have substantial advantages to better serve their members. Finally, CMS is also announcing an update on the Hospice Outcome and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) assessment instrument. Additionally, this rule proposes changes to the CoPs regarding hospice aide competency evaluation standards. If outlier removal and guardrail methodologies had been in place, the cut point increases would have been much smaller, making it more difficult for contracts to achieve higher Star ratings. Interpret recent research on retrospective opioid conversions and its impact on use of an equianalgesic opioid resource. Give your patients more confidence in their choice. The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. With a lower census, a single survey response can skew my data really bad. Name a variety of platforms and tools to provide virtual services. Recognize the impact of misinformation on family and caregivers hospice experience. This measure is constructed from Medicare hospice claims records. Jim Parker is a subculture of one. Discuss the ongoing Opioid Crisis and its impact on home care and other healthcare providers, Discuss regulatory impact related to drug diversion in homecare, Discuss strategies to address workplace violence in home healthcare. The ROI of these investments may increase as cut points become both more challenging and less volatile in future years. Additional information. Medicare Advantage Star ratings may decline with new methodology. Moreover, 78 percent of contracts saw decreased ratings in at least one CAHPS measure from 2019 to 2020, the last year before COVID-19 began affecting CAHPS measurement. Learn how to improve communication with caregivers to drive successful outcomes. Across the industry, Medicare Advantage (MA) contract Star ratings gradually increased from the programs inception in 2011 through rating year 2016 as plans increasingly focused on improving care quality in response to financial incentives. Care Compare is easy to use and a dependable source of information about hospice options near you. The SHN Architecture Awards is a competition and marketing event that positions senior living communities against their peers and is judged by experienced industry professionals. This will be an information-packed hour you dont want to miss. This resource is an attempt to help you make an informed decision. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses a Star rating system to measure the performance of Medicare Advantage (MA) plans. This measure helps to ensure all hospice patients receive a holistic comprehensive assessment.