First...watch this: What a profound thought from the master, Sensei Bruce Lee. Stop fighting everything, stop trying to make everything fit the mold that you want it to, and start accepting what is and using it to your advantage. You too can "be water" in your sales effort, especially now. You want your sales call to take a certain form (hey, that's what we've been teaching for years) but they don't. Be water. You want someone to allow you into their building but they don't. Be water You expect a response by a certain time or method but it doesn't come. Be water Do you see? In this time of great change, you need to use what you are given to its maximum potential. There is no use ruminating a

MedPAC advises Congress about Medicare. The Remington Report in its October 4, 2017, edition of FutureFocus reported that a MedPAC staff member stated as follows at MedPAC’s September meeting: “The Balanced Budget Act (BBA) requires hospitals to provide beneficiaries with a list of nearby SNFs and home health agencies but the list is not required to have quality information….Medicare statute provides beneficiaries with the freedom to choose their PAC provider, the law states that hospitals may not recommend providers (emphasis added).” Then in the March 7, 2018, edition of FutureForcus, a link was provided to a power point presentation presented by MedPAC on March 1, 2018. A slide entitle

With almost every state in the US beginning to reduce restrictions and open their economies up, it's time for you to move to the next phase of your selling protocols. They key during this transitional time is to lead by example. Remember, what you do is who you are to your customers. While there is much controversy over wearing a face covering in public, you don't need to make a political statement while working for your agency. You are in healthcare, so wear a mask and help keep people healthy. The duration of our sales calls (if you are able to see anyone in person) is short, so you don't need to worry about the dangers of wearing a mask for long periods of time. Protect your referral sour

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a number of waivers of various requirements for healthcare providers. On May 11, 2020, CMS issued waivers regarding requirements for discharge planning for hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs). These waivers are described below. CMS is waiving: Requirements of 42 CFR 482.43(a)(8), 42 CFR 482.61(e) and 42 CFR 485.642(a)(8) to provide detailed information about discharge planning as follows: The hospital, psychiatric hospital and CAH must assist patients, their families or patients’ representatives to select a post-acute provider by using and sharing data that includes, but is not limited to, home health agency (HHA),

Mitigation - the action of reducing the severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something. As states around the country open up their economy and restrictions on citizens this week, it's time to talk seriously about mitigating the risk of COVID transmission for patients, facility residents, and facility employees. To NOT have a plan in place means you risk being shut out of certain referral sources...potentially forever. Mitigating Risk To Patients or Clients by Caregivers You should expect, and be ready to answer for this one in your sales efforts. How is your agency putting protocols in place to minimize the risk of transmission from caregiver to patient or client? As you can see by the c

Anecdotally, at this time home health providers are often denied access to their patients who reside in assisted living facilities (ALFs). The rationale of ALFs is that denial of access is necessary in order to void exposure to COVID-19. The experience of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) with multiple infections and deaths from the virus may increase ALFs commitment to denial of access. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued guidelines for ALFs entitled “Considerations When Preparing for COVID-19 in Assisted Living Facilities.” These guidelines are clearly based, in part, on the CDC’s expectation that patients who need skilled services from home health agencies w