More updates have been released related to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HHQRP).
In October 2024, the data on the Care Compare site was refreshed. With this update, the Acute Care Hospitalization and Emergency Department measures were removed. These measures have traditionally been used for both Care Compare and the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Program.
In its place, we now have the Potentially Preventable Hospitalization (PPH) measure. This measure began being publicly reported in October 2024, and will be used in the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model starting in January 2025.
Preview reports for the January 2025 Care Compare refresh have also been released. Alongside the existing data on Care Compare, three new measures will begin public reporting in January 2025:
- Transfer of Health Information to Patient
- Transfer of Health Information to Provider
- Discharge Function Score.
Another topic that needs to be discussed includes the recent release, in October/November 2024, of payment penalties for home health agencies that are not fully compliant with the Home Health Quality Reporting Program. This program requires participation in the Home Health CAHPS survey protocols and full compliance with data submission.
Remember, you must use a CMS-approved vendor to conduct your HHCAHPS surveys, and if your vendor fails to submit data properly, it impacts your compliance. It’s essential to ensure your vendor remains fully compliant with these submission requirements on your behalf.
Another key compliance requirement in the Quality Reporting Program to avoid penalties is ensuring that 90% of your transmitted OASIS assessments are deemed Quality Assessments. A Quality Episode of Care includes the full span from admission to discharge or transfer, or from Resumption of Care to discharge or transfer. To meet the criteria for Quality Assessments, you need to submit both the Start of Care or Resumption of Care as well as a transfer or discharge.
If you’ve submitted all your Starts of Care but only 50% of your discharges, you would be found non-compliant. For compliance, 90% of all assessments need to qualify as Quality Assessments, meaning each episode must have both a start and an end.
If you were not fully compliant with the Home Health Quality Reporting Program in 2023, your October 2024 report will reflect this noncompliance, resulting in a 2% penalty applied to your 2025 Annual Payment Update. This means payments for services provided in 2025 will include a 2% reduction. If you receive this notice and believe the information is incorrect, you have until November 27, 2024, to file a reconsideration via email.
Healthcare Provider Solutions is here to support you with any of your Home Health or Hospice Quality Reporting Program needs. For any assistance you may need, please feel free to reach out to us.
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