Five years ago, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) ordered CMS to stop using Social Security numbers on Medicare cards. According to a new report and testimony to Congress by the General Accounting Office (GAO), CMS has not gotten around to complying yet. Details about how CMS intends to correct this oversight and the […]
As the Obama Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services struggle to find ways to improve the U.S. standing as 37th-best healthcare system in the world, control rising healthcare costs and avoid rationing care for 76 million Baby Boomers, Dr. Farzad Mostashari, MD, remains convinced that the answer lies in a national patient […]
Effect of telehealth on use of secondary care and mortality: findings from the Whole System Demonstrator cluster randomized trial. Philips Telehealth was one of three technology providers selected to provide telehealth systems to the Whole System Demonstrator program, sponsored by Britain’s National Health Service. Results were strongly positive, and strongly contradicted two recent, widely criticized […]
For the first time in its 17-year history, Home Care Technology Report is making an endorsement for a Presidential election. The reason we have to do this is not that we are chasing the issues but the issues have moved decidedly in our direction. The future shape of Medicare will be a central issue in November. Election results will affect us all.
Fastrack Healthcare Systems, Inc. (Plainview, NY) has announced a newly available integration to the Tom Tom Web Fleet product line, with dynamic GPS routing capability. Fastrack clients will use this capability in conjunction with the company’s enterprise software solution for Home Medical Equipment (HME DME), Respiratory and Home Infusion Pharmacy providers.
Ozark, Missouri-based HEALTHCAREfirst, Inc. opened nominations this week for its second annual Compassionfirst award. It will be presented again this year to the home health or hospice caregiver who goes above and beyond what is required and regularly shows genuine kindness, dedication and compassion when caring for others.”There are so many caregivers who deserve recognition […]
The U.S. Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General has released a scathing report of home health billing practices. To place some controls on the degree of fraud and abuse it detected, OIG called for CMS to impose a moratorium on opening new home health care agencies in Texas and Florida, where it says […]
by Liz Seegert Communication and data, vital elements in creating functional partnerships between certified home health care agencies and licensed home health subcontractors, only offer their advantage when computer systems talk to and share data with one another. When they do not, the door is open to potential fraud, waste, and inefficiencies. Information flow […]
Healthcare Market Resources research dispels myths regarding post acute care and in-house referrals In the healthcare reform era, post-acute providers feel pressured to integrate services and optimize partnerships and alliances. Independent home health agencies, jockeying for position to become preferred providers to local hospitals, often feel like second class citizens to in-house or captive agencies.In […]
When Steven Schwartz, Director of Business Operations for theard that it was Charles Tobey on the phone, and that he is with the New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Long Term Care Reimbursement (Medicaid), he was understandably a little unnerved. By the time he hung up the phone, he was grinning…and calling his […]
