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Educational
Session Descriptions
MONDAY, March
28, 2011
Concurrent Educational Sessions (100 series)
10:45 am to 12:15 pm
101. CMS Panel on Home Health Regulatory & Policy Issues
Representatives from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS) will discuss regulatory and policy initiatives
for 2011 and beyond. In addition to the latest on vital topics
like payment policy and survey and certification issues, panelists
will discuss CMS quality initiatives and other efforts to reform
Medicare.
Objectives:
- Describe major regulatory and policy changes CMS is planning
to make in the home health program;
- Discuss the rationale behind the changes; and
- Identify what impact these changes will have on your agency
and how operations must be modified in order to comply with
changes.
Faculty:
Lori Anderson, Director, Division of Home Health, Hospice,
and HCPCS, Chronic Care Policy Group; Patricia Sevast, Nurse
Consultant, Survey and Certification Group; Elizabeth Goldstein
(invited), Director, Division of Consumer Assessment and Plan
Performance; Daniel Schwartz (invited), Deputy Director, Division
of Medical Review and Education; all of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services, Baltimore, MD
No CEs or CPEs.
102. Taking AIM: Findings Along the Road to Hospice Quality
Reporting
Since 2005, the Medicare hospice program has been on a steady course to improve the
quality of care provided annually to more than one million terminally ill beneficiaries.
More recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) entered into
an agreement with the New York State quality improvement organization (IPRO) to conduct
the AIM (Assessment/Intervention/Measurement) Project under which 12 hospice quality
measures are being studied for reliability, validity, feasibility, and usefulness
in hospice and palliative care. By Oct. 1, 2013, individual hospices will be required
to report quality measures that ultimately will be made available publicly. Hear
findings from the AIM Project, updates on CMS’ hospice quality efforts, and
actions hospice programs can take to prepare for quality reporting
Objectives:
- Outline the steps taken by CMS to incorporate quality improvement
and accountability into hospice requirements;
- Delineate findings and lessons learned from IPRO’s
study of 12 hospice quality measures;
- List steps hospices can take now to prepare for reporting
of quality measures; and
- Describe next steps in CMS’ plan to require reporting
of quality measures by hospices.
Faculty:
Danielle Shearer, Technical Advisor, Clinical Standards
Group, Office of Clinical Standards and Quality, CMS, Baltimore,
MD; Rebecca Van Vorst, MSPH, Project Manager, Healthcare Quality
Improvement, IPRO, Lake Success, NY
Course Level: Update; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE (NASBA/RE)
103.
Medicaid Advocacy: The NAHC Medicaid Home Care Advocacy
Project
In 2010, the NAHC Board of Directors created a Medicaid Advocacy
Project charged with the development and implementation of a
plan of action to advocate for comprehensive and stable Medicaid
home care programs. The Project has initiated an action plan
directed towards Medicaid advocacy on the federal level, advocacy
supportive of specific state Medicaid concerns, in-depth research
projects on the value of Medicaid home care, and a web-based “toolbox” on
Medicaid laws, policies, research, and developing issues. Learn
about the plans and activities of the Project while providing
an open forum for the discussion of Medicaid issues. The Program
will also include representatives from the Medicaid Advocacy
Collaborative, a combination of beneficiary representatives groups.
Objectives:
-
Identify the planned actions of the NAHC Medicaid Home
Care Advocacy Project;
- Describe the interface between federal and state Medicaid advocacy efforts; and
- Describe the Medicaid advocacy priorities affecting home
care.
Faculty:
NAHC Medicaid Home Care Advocacy Project and Medicaid Advocacy Collaborative Representatives
Course Level: Update; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE (NASBA/RE)
104. EHR Interoperability: Why Bother?
As physicians and hospitals advance plans to implement integrated
electronic health record (EHR) systems and reengineer business
and clinical process, it’s critical that home health and
hospice take part in demonstrations of meaningful use. Learn
why EHR certification is crucial to advancing care coordination
and the transition of care between acute care providers and home
care and hospice providers. NAHC’s Home Care Technology
Association of America (HCTAA) is providing this educational
session so that agencies can see the value of certification
and how meaningful use standards can save money, improve quality,
and provide better outcomes.
Objectives:
- Learn the value of certification and its importance to home
care and hospice providers and their patients;
- Realize how meaningful use standards and the interoperability
of health information can be leveraged to accumulate cost
savings and are applicable to Accountable Care Organizations
(ACOs);
- Understand the importance of the new e-transition of care
model;
- Discuss practical strategies on how to adopt and implement
Certified® EHRs technologies; and
- Review new payment models and understand how meaningful
use integrates with improved quality and better outcomes.
Moderator: Charlie
Daniels, President, HealthMEDX, Inc.,
Ozark, MO
Panelists: John Derr, VP and CIO, Strategic
Technology, Golden Living, Washington, DC; Dan Cobb, CIO, HealthMEDX,
Inc., Ozark, MO
Course Level: Overview; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE
(NASBA/RE)
105. Advocacy from A to Z - Lobby Your Member of Congress
Familiarize yourself with the methods and techniques of lobbying to empower you to
communicate successfully with your members of Congress regarding home care and hospice
priorities. Learn how to conduct lobbying visits, avoid common errors, and
do effective follow-up.
Objectives:
- Discuss how to conduct a lobbying visit successfully;
- Demonstrate what to do during the three most common types
of legislative interviews and how to avoid the two most common
mistakes;
- Outline follow-up activities; and
- Describe the most effective means for communicating with
members of Congress.
Faculty: Jeffery Kincheloe, JD, Vice President
for Government Affairs/Senate, National Association for Home
Care & Hospice,
Washington DC; Joie Glenn, RN, MBA, CAE, Executive Director,
New Mexico Association for Home and Hospice Care, Albuquerque,
NM; Harold Taylor, Vice President Government Affairs, LHC Group,
Inc., Lafayette, LA; and Richard MacMillan, Senior Vice President & Senior
Counsel, Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, LHC Group, Inc.,
Lafayette, LA
Course Level: Overview, 1.5 Nursing CEs, 1.0 Accounting CPE
(NASBA/SKA)
MONDAY, March
28, 2011
Concurrent Educational Sessions (200 series)
2:15 to 3:45 pm
201. Insights into Home Care’s Future: The Status of
Federal Demonstration and Pilot Projects
The federal government’s plans for overhauling the delivery of and payment
for health care, while ensuring quality, will be based in part on the results of
demonstration and pilot projects. These include projects that are currently underway,
such as the Post Acute Care Demonstration project with the CARE assessment tool and
home health value based purchasing (VBP). In addition, a number of new projects are
to be initiated as required by the Affordable Care Act such as the Home Health Chronic
Care Management demonstration, the Independence at Home demonstration, and pilot
projects for bundling of payments to a single payer for Medicare and Medicaid. Get
a status report on demonstration projects of interest to home health agencies.
Objectives:
- Identify federal pilot and demonstration projects that will
impact home care;
- List the timelines for each project; and
- Describe CMS’ objectives and plans for implementing
the demonstration and pilot projects.
Faculty: Representatives
from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid
Services (CMS), Office of Research, Development, and Information
(ORDI), Baltimore, MD
Course Level: Overview; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE
(NASBA/RE)
202. Answers from the Experts: CMS Panel on the Medicare Hospice
Benefit
Attendees will have an opportunity to hear from and ask questions
of a panel of top Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) hospice
experts. CMS will address important issues of the day, leaving
time for attendees to gain in-depth knowledge on other topics
of concern. Among the items discussed will be analysis of hospice
data under collection by CMS, the status of anticipated changes
to the hospice reimbursement system, the latest on medical review
and survey and certification issues, and other areas of interest.
Back by popular demand!
Objectives:
- Discuss CMS’ experience with and analysis of hospice
data submissions;
- Describe the current status and timeline for hospice payment
reform efforts; and
- Outline the latest compliance efforts by CMS.
Faculty:
Kim Roche, RN, Nurse Consultant, Survey and Certification Group, Division of Continuing
Care Providers; Cindy Massuda, Esquire, Project Officer, Office of Research, Development
and Information; and Representative, Chronic Care Policy Group, Division of Home
Health, Hospice and HCPCS; all of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Baltimore,
MD
No CEs or CPEs
203. A View from the Inside: CMS Medicaid Panel
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has a
significant role in the development and implementation of Medicaid
policy nationwide. Federal Medicaid finances over half of all
Medicaid spending while CMS is responsible for ensuring compliance
with federal Medicaid standards on beneficiary eligibility, the
scope of benefits available, quality of care, program integrity,
and provider payment rates. Additionally, CMS must approve all
state Medicaid plan amendments as well as all applications for
waiver programs. This program brings together federal Medicaid
officials and the home care community for a panel discussion
from several federal Medicaid officials.
Objectives:
- Describe the role played by CMS in Medicaid policy development
and enforcement;
- Identify the standards and authority under which CMS approves
or disapproves Medicaid plan amendments and waivers;
- Identify CMS’s role in assuring states’ adherence
to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the provision
of home care services under state Medicaid plans; and
- Describe the Medicaid policy plans of CMS that affect home
care.
Faculty: Medicaid experts, Center for Medicare and Medicaid
Services, Baltimore, MD
No CEs or CPEs.
204. Benchmarking Data: A Critical Tool to Planning for the
Future
Appropriate use of benchmark data is essential for a successful
business. Streams of new data are readily available for use in
benchmarking by home health agencies. However, in light of the
sheer volume of accessible home health data, it’s critical
for agencies to determine what information is needed to effectively
guide their business practices. Get an overview of important
data for home health agencies and information about how to employ
that data for benchmarking agencies for maximum benefits.
Objectives:
- Describe available data sources for benchmarking activities;
- Identify means to employ to effectively sort and prioritize
data; and
- Explain how selected data can be converted into information
needed to drive business practice.
Faculty:
Mark Sharp, CPA, Partner, BKD LLC, Springfield, MO; William Bassett; Vice President,
Home Health Division, Deyta, LLC, Louisville, KY; Barbara Rosenblum, President/CEO
Strategic HealthCare Programs, Santa Barbara, CA; and Richard Chesney, President,
Healthcare Market Resources, Dresher, PA
Course Level: Overview; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE
(NASBA/RE)
MONDAY, March
28, 2011
Concurrent Educational Sessions (300 series)
4 to 5:30 pm
301. Impact of the Affordable Care Act One Year After Passage
The Affordable Care Act included numerous provisions targeted
toward home health and hospice providers. The broad topics included
in the provisions were payment rate and payment methodology changes,
fraud and abuse initiatives, delivery models, and quality initiatives.
Topics such as physician face-to-face encounter requirements,
Medicare payment rate reductions, timely claim filing, and others will be addressed
in detail. Hear an industry perspective on the actions being taken by the Centers
for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to implement the changes mandated by
the Affordable Care Act.
Objectives:
- List the major provisions of the Affordable Care Act affecting
home health and hospice providers;
- Describe the actions taken by CMS to implement the various
provisions; and
- Describe the impact of these actions on home health and
hospice providers.
Faculty: William A. Dombi, Esq., Vice
President for Law, Mary St. Pierre, BSN, MGA, RN, Vice President
for Regulatory Affairs, both from the National Association
for Home Care & Hospice,
Washington, DC
Course Level: Update; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE (NASBA/RE)
302. Modeling the Impact of Hospice Payment Reform
By October 2013 hospices could see major changes in their financial
bottom lines as the current “thinking” on payment
becomes a reality. As payment reform plans take shape, the best
defense is a good offense – one that includes a close review
of what you are spending, when you are spending it, and what
Medicare is paying for. The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission
(MedPAC) has recommended realignment of hospice payments and
noted that following a “U” shaped model – under
which payments at the beginning and end of a length of stay are
higher than payments for care in the middle of the stay – would
better reflect hospice costs. A leading financial consultant
has been analyzing a hospice’s spending and using a “U” shaped
model to project the potential impact of payment reform. Hear
the latest analysis of what payment reform could mean for hospice
programs, and guidance on how best to prepare your hospice for
the coming financial changes.
Objectives:
- Identify the areas of hospice payment likely to undergo
change with modifications to the payment system;
- Identify areas for potential financial risk under hospice
payment reform; and
- Analyze the potential impact of payment reform on an individual
hospice’s operations and finances.
Faculty:
Robert Simione, BS, Managing Principal, Simione Consultants, Hamden, CT; Andrea Devoti,
RN, MSN, MBA, CHCE, President and Chief Executive Officer, Neighborhood Health Agencies,
West Chester, PA
Course Level: Update; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE (NASBA/RE)
303. MACPAC: The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
Congress created the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission
(MACPAC) to advise on the wide range of Medicaid issues facing
beneficiaries, service providers, and state Medicaid programs.
The Commission’s directives include reviewing payment rates
and methodologies, payment policies affecting access to care,
quality of care, and delivery of care, the implications of health
care delivery and marketplace changes on access to care in Medicaid,
and the effect of other Medicaid policies on access to care.
The MACPAC has 17 Commissioners, an Executive Director, and is
expected to have a staff of 25-40 with the sole function of advising
Congress on Medicaid. MACPAC is the Medicaid counterpart to MedPAC.
This program introduces home care and hospice to MACPAC.
Objectives:
- Describe the functions and responsibilities of MACPAC;
- Identify key issue areas within the jurisdiction of MACPAC;
and
- Identify MACPAC plans that may or will affect Medicaid home
care and hospice.
Faculty: TBA (MACPAC Executive Director and Commission Chair)
Course Level: Overview; 1.5 Nursing CEs, 1.0 Accounting CPE
(NASBA/SKA)
304. Health Information Technology Collaboration: What
Works?
Home care providers must be able to identify opportunities provided
through recently enacted health care legislation to improve the
quality and efficiency of health care. Innovators in home
care technology are participating in programs that promote collaboration in
clinical data exchange, transitions of care and care coordination. NAHC’s
Home Care Technology Association of America (HCTAA) is sponsoring
this session to guide agencies in creating successful partnerships with
hospitals, nursing homes, physicians, patients and family caregivers, and
ensure that they are maximizing opportunities to participate
in federal, state and regional health information exchange
efforts.
Objectives:
- Understand what opportunities exist to engage in federal
and state health information exchange efforts;
- Learn how participating in regional health information organizations
(RHIOs) and health information exchanges (HIEs) can be beneficial
to both home care agencies and their referral sources;
- Discuss different models for provider to provider collaboration
(Patient Centered Medical Homes, Beacon Health Communities, voluntary
exchanges between independent providers, etc.); and
- Identify direct and indirect incentives to participating
in the demonstration of meaningful use.
Moderator: Tom Check, SVP
and CIO, Visiting Nurse Service of New York, New York, NY
Panelist: Raj Shetye, VP and CIO, LHC Group, Inc., Lafayette,
LA; Lisa Harvey-McPherson, President & CEO, Eastern Maine Home Care, Brewer, ME
Course Level: Update; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE (NASBA/RE)
Legal Symposium Workshops
WEDNESDAY, March 30, 2011
Concurrent Educational Sessions (400 series)
8:30 to 10 am
401. Employment Trends in Home Care and Hospice
Nearly one million health care workers are employed in providing
home care and hospice services. Nurses, therapists, medical social
workers, home health aides, and personal care attendants provide
crucial services to the elderly and disabled across the country.
However, staff shortages continue to be reported throughout the
nation. Get an overview of the current employment picture in
home care and hospice along with a forecast for future needs
and workforce availability. The information provided is invaluable
in developing and executing your organization’s strategic
plan.
Objectives:
- Describe the current levels of workforce employment in home
care and hospice job categories;
- Identify the forecasted growth/shrinkage in home care and
hospice job categories over the next five years; and
- Identify the status of workforce related initiatives set
out in the health care reform legislation.
Faculty: TBA, (US Department of Labor,
Bureau of Labor Statistics); TBA (US Department of HHS Workforce
Initiatives)
Course Level: Overview; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE
(NASBA/RE)
402. Fraud and Abuse Law Changes in the Affordable Care Act
Congress made numerous fraud and abuse changes in the Affordable
Care Act that will affect home health agencies and hospices. Many
of these are not limited to the home care industry, and include
not just Medicare, but also Medicaid and the Children’s
Health Insurance Program (CHIP). These changes include
changes to the False Claims Act and obligations to report overpayments;
expansion of Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) to Medicaid; Medicaid
termination and exclusion provisions; and, increased provider
screening and disclosure requirements. This session will
provide an overview of these and other fraud and abuse changes;
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) implementation
actions to date; and, the impact of these changes upon the home
care industry.
Objectives:
- List the major fraud and abuse provisions of the Affordable
Care Act that will impact home health and hospice providers;
- Describe the actions taken by CMS to implement these provisions;
and
- Describe the impact that these provisions will have on home
health and hospice providers.
Faculty: William A. Dombi, Esq., Director,
Center for Health Care Law and Vice President for Law, National
Association for Home Care & Hospice, Washington, DC; Denise Bonn, Esq., Deputy
Director, Center for Health Care Law, National Association for
Home Care & Hospice, Washington, DC
Course Level: Update; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE (NASBA/RE)
WEDNESDAY, March
30, 2011
Concurrent Educational Sessions (500 series)
10:15 to 11:45 am
501. Legal Issues in Federal Wage and Hour Law and Worker Classifications
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) has stepped up public education
and enforcement actions regarding federal minimum wage and overtime
compensation laws as well as standards defining the proper classification
of workers as employees or independent contractors. In
addition, the DoL has announced its intention to consider modifications
to the “companionship services” exemption under the
Fair Labor Standards Act. At the same time, private litigants
are pressing challenges to home care agencies’ use of per
visit compensation without overtime pay. Learn about the current
state of the law in all these areas from a home care-specific
direction. Compliance with these compensation laws is the only
option!
Objectives:
- Identify federal standards, as applied in home care settings,
on minimum wages and overtime compensation;
- Describe the necessary considerations in the use of per
visit compensation to home care employees in order to achieve
compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act; and
- Identify federal standards for classifying workers as employees
and independent contractors under employment and tax laws.
Faculty:
John C. Gilliland, II, LLP, Gilliland & Markette, Indianapolis, IN
Course Level: Update; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE (NASBA/RE)
502. Legal Issues in Home Health and Hospice Transactions
If you are thinking about the purchase or sale of a home health
agency or hospice, there are legal issues that need to be addressed
to avoid significant liability. Get an overview of some of the
many legal issues, including an example regarding a joint venture
with a hospital. The session will focus on the due diligence process
in which a review of potential liability risks is performed.
This will include billing, compliance with Medicare Conditions
of Participation and state licensing, contracts and marketing
to all referral sources, and provider enrollment compliance.
The program also will cover key provisions in the Sales Agreement
such as indemnification, escrow, employment agreements, non-compete
provisions, management agreements, and whether and under what
circumstances the deal can be rescinded. Medicare provider enrollment
and reporting requirements will be discussed.
Objectives:
- Identify items for due diligence review and the liability
risks they address;
- Explain the items for inclusion in the written agreements
and the liability risks they address; and
- Describe the provider enrollment and reporting requirements
and how they impact the proposed transaction.
Faculty:
Denise Bonn, Esq., Deputy Director, Center for Health Care Law, National Association
for Home Care & Hospice, Washington, DC; Kerry M. Parker, Esq., Epstein, Becker & Green
P.C., Newark, NJ
Course Level: Overview; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE
(NASBA/RE)
WEDNESDAY, March
30, 2011
Concurrent Educational Sessions (600 series)
1:15 to 2:45 pm
601. Employer Rights and Responsibilities under Health Care
Reform
The Affordable Care Act establishes a variety of rights and
responsibilities for employers regarding health insurance coverage
and availability to employees. While the law does not mandate
that an employer provide employee health insurance, the law does
mandate insurance reforms that may affect the cost of employee
health insurance, subsidies to certain employers to help provide
health insurance, employee subsidies, along with employer responsibilities
on employee enrollment and financial penalties in certain employment
settings where no health insurance is provided to employees.
Learn about the full panoply of employer rights and responsibilities
in health care reform and the outlook for changes to the law in the new Congress.
Objectives:
- Describe the responsibilities of employers under the health
care reform laws and the timetable for implementation;
- Identify the rights of employers under the health care reform
laws; and
- Understand the status of Congressional efforts to revise
the employer responsibilities under the health care reform
laws.
Faculty: William A. Dombi, Esq., Director,
Center for Health Care Law and Vice President for Law, National
Association for Home Care & Hospice, Washington, DC
Course Level: Update; 1.5 Nursing CEs; 1.0 Accounting CPE (NASBA/RE)
602. Referrals and Marketing: Staying Within the Law
Obtaining business is a key component of any business, but
there are significant restraints upon Medicare and Medicaid providers
when marketing to referral sources or beneficiaries. In
order to stay within the law, you need to know the legal provisions
that govern this activity. What marketing can you undertake
to referral sources and what may be viewed as improper? What
marketing can you undertake to beneficiaries, and what may be
viewed as improper? Come to this session for the answers
to these and many other questions.
Objectives:
- Identify major Anti-kickback, Stark and Civil Monetary Penalty
provisions affecting marketing and referral practices;
- Discuss examples of legal and improper marketing to referral
sources; and
- Describe examples of legal and improper marketing to beneficiaries.
Faculty:
Robert Markette, JD, Partner, Gilliland & Markette, Indianapolis, IN
Course Level: Overview; 1.5 Nursing CEs, 1.0 Accounting CPE
(NASBA/RE)
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