On June 26, CMS released the 2025 Home Health Proposed Rule. Among the changes in this proposed rule include updates to OASIS requirements that will become mandatory in 2025.
In the 2023 Home Health Proposed Rule, it was finalized that starting in 2025, home health agencies must complete and transmit OASIS for 100% of their patients, regardless of payer. That time has now come. However, in this proposed rule, it will be voluntary starting January 1, 2025 and mandatory starting July 1, 2025. This transitional period is designed to gradually implement the requirement for every patient to have an OASIS completed and transmitted to the database.
It should be emphasized that also starting July 1, 2025, all payers will now be included in your outcome calculations. There will be risk adjustments and allowances for certain patient information based on their situation and payer, but these factors will influence your outcomes. It’s crucial to understand that these outcome calculations will affect not only your star ratings but also your value-based purchasing outcome calculations.
Skilled nursing facilities have long been required to report all patients, regardless of payer, and this requirement is now being extended to home health care. This change is largely driven by the need to calculate outcomes across the entire post-acute care continuum.
If skilled nursing facilities are reporting all payers, but home health agencies are only reporting specific payers like Medicare, Medicare Advantage, and skilled Medicaid, we aren’t making fair comparisons. It’s crucial to stress to your field staff completing OASIS that they must be meticulous and specific not just with Medicare and Medicare Advantage patients, but with all payers. Remember, reporting will be voluntary starting January 1, 2025, and mandatory starting July 1, 2025.
On September 4, 2024, HPS will be holding a live one-day in-person workshop in Nashville TN. At our workshop, “Mastering OASIS GG Items for Discharge Function Score, Quality, and Payment Excellence Workshop”, attendees will experience an in-depth workshop focused on Section GG, equipping you with the necessary tools to capture precise assessment data reflective of your agency’s quality care.
Should you need any additional assistance from Healthcare Provider Solutions with OASIS or are interested in HPS OASIS Education offerings, please feel free to reach out to us.
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