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Understanding Changes to the Home Health Prospective Payment
System
(HH PPS): The 2008 HH PPS Final Rule
October 24, 2007
CDs of this event are available for purchase. Click here to order.
Expert Speakers:
Cindy Krafft MS, PT, COS-C, has been in Home Health for 12
years in a variety of capacities, from PRN clinician to the Director of
Rehabilitation for a six-agency home-care system. She is currently a
consultant with Fazzi Associates, where she works with agencies on
developing rehabilitation programs to their highest potential both
clinically and financially. She has been a well received speaker at both
the state and national levels on the topics of program development,
therapy utilization and recruitment. Cindy is the current Vice President
of the Home Health Section of the American Physical Therapy Association
and has received her COS-C, the designation of Certified OASIS
Specialist - Clinical. She is also an affiliate member of the American
Occupational Therapy Association.
Ellen Strunk, MS, PT, is a recipient of the APTA's 2006
Clinical Excellence in Geriatrics Award. She earned her Master's degree
in physical therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Since
then, she has worked in various roles: first as orthopedic team leader;
then as clinical manager for three years supervising PT, OT and ST
services in acute care, transitional care, and outpatient settings. In
1996, she moved to a hospital home health agency to develop and
supervise therapy services in several counties. Presently, Ellen is
Director of Restore Outpatient Services & Restore Staffing
Solutions, a company providing rehabilitation services in the long term
care, home health, and outpatient settings. Ellen earned her APTA Board
Certification in Geriatric Physical Therapy in 1999.
In addition to co-authoring clinical pathways for home health, she
has lectured on the topics of physical therapy admissions to home care
agencies, restorative nursing, trans-disciplinary treatment strategies
in home health, geriatric wellness, dementia management, and the
prospective payment system. She lectures nationally for a professional
education company on the topics of pharmacology for rehabilitation
professionals and geriatric rehabilitation.
Ellen is a member of the American Physical Therapy Association, the
APTA Section on Geriatrics (SOG), the APTA Home Health Section, the APTA
Health Policy & Administration Section and the Alabama Physical
Therapy Association. She presently serves in the dual role of Treasurer
of the AL-PT Association and Chairperson of its Practice &
Reimbursement Committee. She also serves on the APTA's Governmental
Affairs Committee as well as the Board of Directors for the APTA's
Section on Geriatrics.
Original Audio Conference Description:
On August 29, 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
(CMS) released the final rule for the Home Health Prospective Payment
System (HH PPS) for Calendar Year 2008. This rule, which implemented the
first major changes to the payment system since its inception, finalized
many of the proposed changes outlined by CMS in April 2007. In addition
to a 3% increase to the home health market basket, the rule
significantly changes the OASIS and case-mix groups, and it creates a
new therapy threshold. These changes, which take effect January 1, 2008,
will have serious implications for home health physical therapists by
affecting reimbursement rates and how patients are assessed and
treated.
APTA has assembled home health experts Cindy Krafft and Ellen
Strunk to help explain the provisions of this new rule and how to
make adjustments to existing practices to ensure compliance. During a
Q&A session following the presentations, you will be able to ask
questions directly to the experts.
Upon completion of the audio conference, you will be able to:
- Understand the basics of the Home Health Prospective Payment
System
- Describe the changes made to the HH PPS for 2008
- Discuss revisions to the case-mix system and OASIS
- Identify the adjustments Medicare will make to your payments
- Explain how these changes might affect your existing practice and
how to comply
- And much more
Continuing Education Units: Each registered participant will
receive a Certificate of Attendance to earn .2 CEU or 2 contact hours
after successful completion of a test with a score of 70% or better.
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