On January 1, 2016, CMS www.cms.gov launched the “Home Health Value Based Purchasing Program” (HHVPB) as a pilot in nine states. CMS estimates that the program, once fully implemented will save $380 million annually by reducing unnecessary hospitalizations and skilled nursing facility usage.
For home health agencies in the nine pilot states including Massachusetts, Maryland, North Carolina, Florida, Washington, Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, and Tennessee, understanding the financial rewards and penalties are critical to maintaining a positive bottom line.
For the HHAs not included in the pilot, the program should not simply be ignored. Providers that are not in the pilot should use this as an opportunity to learn and prepare because it is extremely likely that HHVBP Program will become a permanent part of the CMS home health reimbursement strategy.
To help home health agencies succeed with HHVBP, Advanced TeleHealth Solutions www.advanced-telehealth.com has released “the Essential Guide to the Home Health Prospective Payment System.” The guide includes valuable information on value-based purchasing, the 24 outcomes and process measures included in HHVBP, the Total Performance Score and its impact on reimbursement, the Public Quality Report and its potential impact, and steps to HHVBP success.
The guide is available for free at www.advanced-telehealth.com/essential-guide. For more information, email Karen Thomas, President for Advanced TeleHealth Solutions at Karen.thomas@advanced-telehealth.com.