Sharon Hamilton, MS, RN, NLCPC, CFDS Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The updated system will be called Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES).  CMS is phasing in the iQIES system beginning with Long Term Care Hospitals (LTCH). To learn more continue reading. If you have questions, contact the service desk at: help@qtso.com or by phone: 800-339-9313. Starting in…… Continue reading Keep your eyes open! Starting in March, CMS is updating the Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (QIES)

Sharon Hamilton, MS, RN, NLCPC, CFDS Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Virginia lawmakers, both the House and Senate, have unanimously passed legislation that requires commercial health plans to cover remote patient monitoring services. Virginia Governor Ralph Northam is expected to sign the bill into law soon.Legislation (HB 1970 and SB 1221) defines remote patient monitoring as;…… Continue reading New Telehealth bills and what it means for Home Health Services. Could your state be next?

Sharon Hamilton, MS, RN, NLCPC, CFDS Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The quarterly Home Health Compare refresh became available as of Jan 23, 2019. This refresh includes four new quality measures based on data that was submitted to CMS. This is the first time these measures will be reported on Home Health Compare. The measures are available…… Continue reading News from CMS

Sharon Hamilton, MS, RN, NLCPC, CFDS Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare On January 23, 2019, CMS published Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the Conditions of Participation (CoP). Subsequently, within a 30-day period to meet compliance, all surveyors will use the guidance contained within the FAQs when providing a survey. Agencies should familiarize their clinical staff now with the FAQs…… Continue reading Just in case you missed it!

On December 20, 2018 CMS released the FINAL Guidance Manual for OASIS-D 12 days before the implementation of assessment instrument. In July of 2018 an errata for the manual was released. Historically CMS has released an errata after the final manual. The final OASIS-D Guidance Manual contained only 4 of the 17 identified errors. CMS…… Continue reading Did You Know…

Sharon Hamilton, RN, MS Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Tue, Dec 11, 2018 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM CST Start training your staff now on the new OASIS-D items. Join Sharon Hamilton and take an in-depth look at the GG and J items. Understand the difference between the M elements and the new standardized item sections…… Continue reading [Free Webinar] Part II – The ABC’s of OASIS-D: A Step-by-Step Review of Changes Effective on January 1, 2019

Sharon Hamilton RN, MS Briggs Healthcare Clinical Consultant CMS-1689-F The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule (CMS-1689-FC) that updates the Medicare Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) rates and wage index for calendar year (CY) 2019. The final rule results in a 2.2 percent increase ($420 million) in payments to…… Continue reading [breaking news] CMS issued a final rule (CMS-1689-FC) that updates the Medicare HH PPS rates & wage index for CY 2019