Homecare Homebase Provides Fast Access to Tools for Analysis of the 2015 CMS Final Rule
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) November 12, 2014 -- Homecare Homebase today announced the availability of the 2015 Home Health Model workbook within their Knowledge LinkTM analytics engine. Homecare Homebase customers are able to quickly and accurately identify the effects of the 2015 CMS Medicare reimbursement changes issued less than 10 days ago using the updated workbook, immediately seeing the effects these changes will have on their business well before they take effect next year.
CMS updates provide a high level of variability each year for home health agencies, and those changes are further complicated for 2015 by significant variations to payment rates, case-mix weights, adjustment rate variables and scores, clinical/functional thresholds and wage index values. “The sheer number of changes within the final rule this year, and the variability those changes cause at the agency level, further demonstrate the importance of providing tools for early analysis to our users,” said Andy Guarnera, Manager of Product Management at Homecare Homebase. With CMS projecting a reduction of $60M in 2015 Medicare payments to home health agencies as a result of these changes, it is critical that agencies take proactive measures to adjust their business plans to remain financially viable and ensure uninterrupted patient care.
Homecare Homebase’s Knowledge Link tool, built on the powerful Tableau® 8 platform, allows users to analyze the final changes with actual data from episodes completed January through August 2014. This enables agencies to compare and evaluate projected revenues based on the 2015 reimbursement changes, broken down by episode types, including standard, therapy, LUPA and outliers; allows for comparison against the new wage index; and evaluation of the final changes to the therapy reassessment rule and average therapy visit times.
“While it didn’t appear so on its surface, this final rule is one of the more complicated rules we have seen as it relates to the impacts on our Medicare reimbursement and its impacts vary widely across the markets we serve,” said Luke James, Chief Strategy Officer at Encompass Home Health & Hospice. “Homecare Homebase’s quick turnaround allows us to review the impacts from each of these components quickly, and is vital to our ability to put a plan in place in a timely manner to continue to provide A Better Way to Care for our patients.”
"Homecare Homebase delivers tools that not only keep customers ahead of coming regulatory changes, but provide them useful, real-time insight into their business," said Tom Maxwell, Chief Strategy Officer at Homecare Homebase. "Due to our proactive nature and rapid-deployment of analytical tools our customers are quickly able to understand the effects of the final changes using relevant data from their own business. They are empowered to make better business decisions about the future of their agency and their operations in record time.”
About Homecare Homebase, LLC
Homecare Homebase, based in Dallas, Texas, is a leading healthcare software company serving the technology needs of the fast growing post acute care industry including homecare, hospice and private duty. Homecare Homebase has received the prestigious Best In KLAS for Homecare award for three consecutive years in the “Best in KLAS Awards: Software & Services” report. Homecare Homebase offers a comprehensive integrated web-based software solution to improve the clinical, operational and financial success of homecare and hospice agencies. Homecare Homebase enables real-time, wireless information exchange and communication between office staff, field staff and physicians; automates workflow processes; enables accurate billing through numerous integrated checks and balances; and, provides powerful management reporting via a back-office data analysis tool that ties together all agency operational information. Founded by industry veterans in 1999, every aspect of the Homecare Homebase system was developed to be user-friendly, flexible and customizable to specific agency needs. For more information, visit http://www.hchb.com or contact us toll free at 1-866-535-HCHB (4242).
About Hearst Health
Homecare Homebase is part of the Hearst Health network, which also includes FDB (First Databank), Zynx Health and MCG. The mission of the Hearst Health network is to guide the most important care moments by delivering vital information into the hands of everyone who touches a person’s health journey. Each year in the U.S., the Hearst Health network guides the care of 76% of discharged patients, 133 million insured individuals, 30 million home health visits, 1.88 billion retail pharmacy prescriptions and 3.26 billion prescription claims. Extensions of the Hearst Health network include Hearst Health Ventures and the Hearst Health Innovation Lab. http://www.hearsthealth.com
Warren White, 9Y Communications, http://www.hchb.com, +1 214.549.5550, [email protected]
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