Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services release new home health rules
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released new rules for home health agencies like ours at Sunshine Home Care, that are aimed at improving the quality of care for Medicare and Medicaid patients as well as strengthening their patient's rights. These new rules affect over 12,000 home health agencies nationwide and includes all agencies in Western Oklahoma.
This new rule will affect the more than 5 million Medicare and Medicaid recipients that currently utilize home health services such as skilled nursing, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. Home health allows patients to receive these services within the comfort of their own home, improve recovery times, and save money.
(Still have questions about home health? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for more info.)
According to Kate Goodrich, MD, CMS Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality for CMS, the agency's "...priority is to ensure that Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries who receive health services at home get the highest level of patient-centered care from home health agencies."
Some of the final new rules include:
Requiring home health agency administrators and clinical managers to adhere to new personnel qualifications
An expansion of the patient care coordination requirement that makes a licensed clinician responsible for all patient services and making sure that the patient's plan of care meets the patient's needs at all times
Ensuring that patient's have written information concerning upcoming visits, medication instructions, treatments administered, and the contact information for the home health agency administrator
Expansion of the comprehensive patient assessment to focus on all aspects of the patient's well being
A comprehensive patient rights condition of participation that clearly states the rights of home health agency patients and the steps that must be taken to assure those rights
Sunshine Home Care has taken every step possible to make sure that we are in full compliance with the new CMS rules. Our patients are our passion, and we are focused in our mission in advancing patient care and quality of experience.
For more information on our agency, visit here or read more on how we compare to other Western Oklahoma home health agencies. We serve most of Western Oklahoma, and you can find our service area here.
If you have any questions regarding home health, contact us or give us a call at 877-477-2014. We are happy to be of assistance.
Sunshine Home Care provides home health in Altus, OK and most of Western Oklahoma. For more information on our agency, visit here or contact us today.
Source: CMS
