Recent News

Congratulations to Champion Caregivers RCTCLearn 2016 E-Learning Leaders

By Becky Campbell, CMP posted 2 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
RCTCLearn.Net is proud to announce Champion Caregivers of Fort Worth as the agency member with the highest usage of RCTCLearn.Net training within the association!  Champion Caregivers successfully completed 167 courses during 2016.  During 2016, association members completed 1976 courses and the overall satisfaction rate of individuals taking these classes was 99%. If you haven't taken advantage of this free services from TAHC&H, or want more information on how to sign up your employees, click here . Champion - your trophy is on its way!
0 comments

Attn Coders: ICD-10 Training with 2018 Updates | Sept. 12-13

By Katie Mills posted 2 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Do you or one of your employees need training on the new ICD-10 codes that go into effect on October 1? Attend our 1.5 day training on September 12-13, 2017 in San Antonio to get up to speed on not only the updated codes, but improve your coding practice and payment accuracy!  The workshop is designed to enhance your coding knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of ICD-10 Coding. Providers cannot risk increased error rates or improper or slow claims payments due to inappropriate coding or errors. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from national coding expert, Laura Waddle who brings over 30 years of nursing and coding experience to the training.  A few ...
0 comments

NOTICE: HCS and TxHML Providers-August 25th Cutoff Date, for FY 2017 Fee-for-Service Year-end Closeout Processing

By JR Top posted 16 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Please be aware that if you provide any services through the Home and Community-based Services (HCS) and Texas Home Living (TxHML) waivers, HHSC has released an information letter on the cutoff date for FY 2017 Fee-for-Service (FFS) Claims Processing. If you have any unfiled FY 2017 FFS claims, you have until 12:00 PM, Friday, August 25, 2017, to submit them. Important Reminder: FFS claims can take up to 24 hours to process after being submitted to the Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership (TMHP). Here is a list of a few of the providers this applies to: Community Attendant Services (CAS) Providers Community Living Assistance and Support Services ...
0 comments

August 25th Cutoff Date, for FY 2017 Fee-for-Service Year-end Closeout Processing

By JR Top posted 16 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Please be aware that if you provide any services through the 1915(c) waivers, HHSC has released an information letter on the cutoff date for FY 2017 Fee-for-Service (FFS) Claims Processing. If you have any unfiled FY 2017 FFS claims, you have until 12:00 PM, Friday, August 25, 2017, to submit them. Important Reminder: FFS claims can take up to 24 hours to process after being submitted to the Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership (TMHP). Here is a list of a few of the providers this applies to: Community Attendant Services (CAS) Providers Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Providers Consumer Managed Personal Attendant ...
0 comments

Texas HHS invites Stakeholders to review HCBS Assessment Results: IDD Program External Assessment Report

By JR Top posted 16 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Texas Health and Human Services has released their “HCBS Assessment Results: Intellectual and Developmental Disability Program External Assessment Report” for stakeholders to review. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a final rule that defines the settings in which states can offer Medicaid Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). Initially CMS gave states five years to put the new rule into effect, but a three-year extension was granted making the new deadline March 2022. As part of the statewide project to assess compliance with the settings component of the CMS HCBS rule, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services ...
0 comments

Vaccines are Not Just for Kids

By Marissa Machado posted 16 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
​National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM) is an annual observance to highlight the importance of vaccinations. All adults should get vaccines to protect their health. Even healthy adults can become seriously ill and can pass certain illnesses on to others. Talk to your Medicare patients about vaccines they may need, including influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B. For More Information: Medicare Preventive Services  Educational Tool Medicare Part B Immunization Billing: Seasonal Influenza Virus, Pneumococcal, and Hepatitis B  Educational Tool Mass Immunizers and Roster Billing: Simplified Billing for Influenza Virus and Pneumococcal Vaccinations ...
0 comments

Participate! August 17, State Managed Care Advisory Committee Meeting

By JR Top posted 16 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) will be having their quarterly Managed Care Advisory Committee Meeting on Thursday, August 17, at 10:00 AM, in the Brown-Heatly Public Hearing Room at 4900 North Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78751. If you are not available to attend in person you can watch at the following link: https://hhs.texas.gov/about-hhs/communications-events/live-archived-meetings These meetings are a great way to stay informed about recommendations and input being provided to HHS on statewide implementation and operation of Medicaid Managed Care. The Agenda for the Meeting is as Follows: Call to order Roll call Welcoming remarks ...
0 comments

Get Your Glow On For the Home Care Defense Fund

By Elyse Fulton posted 16 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Annual Meeting Rooftop Glow Party Over $1,000 in raffle prizes, drinks, appetizers, glow giveaways and more! Benefiting the Home Care & Hospice Defense Fund Grand Prize Announced: Dell Inspiron 15 5000 2-in-1  Laptop ! Attending our  Annual Meeting  this August in The Woodlands? Get your glow on at our pre-conference Rooftop Glow Party benefiting the Home Care & Hospice Defense Fund! Register with conference or at the door.  Event Details Where:  Crush Wine Lounge (20 Waterway Ave The Woodlands, TX 77380 - 2 min walking distance from the hotel), second floor lounge When:  Tuesday, August 8 (Night before the conference ...
0 comments

Don't Forget Glow Party on August 8th at Annual Meeting

By Elyse Fulton posted 23 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Annual Meeting Rooftop Glow Party Over $700 in raffle prizes, drinks, appetizers, glow giveaways and more! Benefiting the Home Care & Hospice Defense Fund Grand Prize Announced: Dell Inspiron 15 5000 2-in-1 Laptop ! Attending our Annual Meeting this August in The Woodlands? Get your glow on at our pre-conference Rooftop Glow Party benefiting the Home Care & Hospice Defense Fund! Register with conference or at the door. Find out more below or on the event website . Event Details Where: Crush Wine Lounge (20 Waterway Ave The Woodlands, TX 77380 - 2 min walking distance from the hotel), second ...
0 comments

Urgent: Call State Reps to Support HB 25!

By Elyse Fulton posted 23 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
There is now traction in the Texas Legislature to address drastic cuts to the Medicaid therapy program made in 2015. Even though partial restorations were made in the most recent general session, the restorations will likely go unrealized due to proposed policy changes. These threats have already driven providers out of business and begun to impact network adequacy for fragile children. Leaders in the Texas House of Representatives are ready to act to protect critical Medicaid therapy services. State Representative Sarah Davis (R-West University Place) has introduced HB 25, legislation which would reverse therapy cuts and passed out of committee unanimously. ...
0 comments

Face-to-Face Legislation: Keep up the calls before August recess!

By Elyse Fulton posted 23 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
104 calls and 22 messages placed so far asking our Members of Congress to support legislation reforming the Face-to-Face rule in Medicare home health! There is still time to reach out to our federal lawmakers before the August recess and ask them to co-sponsor the Home Health Documentation and Program Improvement Act authored by Representative Kenny Marchant (R-Dallas). The current list of co-sponsors from Texas is: Rep. Bill Flores (R-Waco), Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Plano), Rep. Pete Olson (R-Sugar Land), Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Dallas), and Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Amarillo). Please make a call or write a message today to ask your U.S. Representative to support ...
0 comments

Win a Dell 2-in-1 laptop at Annual Meeting Glow Party!

By Elyse Fulton posted 30 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
Annual Meeting Rooftop Glow Party Over $700 in raffle prizes, drinks, appetizers, glow giveaways and more! Benefiting the Home Care & Hospice Defense Fund Grand Prize Announced: Dell Inspiron 15 5000 2-in-1 Laptop ! Attending our Annual Meeting this August in The Woodlands? Get your glow on at our pre-conference Rooftop Glow Party benefiting the Home Care & Hospice Defense Fund! Register with conference or at the door. Find out more below or on the event website . Event Details Where: Crush Wine Lounge (20 Waterway Ave The Woodlands, TX 77380 - 2 min walking distance from the hotel) When: Tuesday, August 8 (Night before ...
0 comments

Action alert: Support needed for Face-to-Face legislation

By Elyse Fulton posted 30 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
There are only two weeks left for Members of Congress to sign-on to co-sponsor the Home Health Documentation and Program Improvement Act before the August recess. We need bipartisan support for this critical legislation to be successful! This legislation, H.R. 2663, will reform the Face-to-Face documentation requirements and address the claims backlog. The following Members of Congress from Texas have already committed to co-sponsor the bill: Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-Dallas), Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-Amarillo), Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Plano), Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Dallas), Rep. Pete Olson (R-Sugar Land). Please make a call or write a message today ...
0 comments

Action alert: Policy changes & rate restorations in Medicaid Therapy

By Elyse Fulton posted 30 days ago
Be the first person to recommend this.
As you know, the 2017 Texas Legislature voted to restore 25% of the therapy rate reductions cut by previous legislators. This small win for Medicaid therapy is now in danger of going unrealized due to the potentially negative effects of proposed policy changes. Earlier this week, the Health & Human Services Commission held a public hearing on the proposed Medicaid payment rates for physical, occupational, and speech therapy providers. Therapy providers from across Texas testified to the negative effects the proposed methodology and policy changes will have on their agency's ability to provide services to medically fragile children. It is time ...
0 comments

Call Enterprise and Get a Fleet Analysis for Your Agency

By Becky Campbell, CMP posted Jul 19,2017
Be the first person to recommend this.
The partnership between TAHC&H and Enterprise Fleet Management allows members to take advantage of Enterprise’s buying power to reduce their transportation expenses. Working with Enterprise consultants, TAHC&H members can explore how providing company vehicles can be more cost-effective than a mileage reimbursement or car allowance policy. Recruiting and Retention:  Providing company vehicles can help members attract and retain employees who need to travel on a daily basis. It also is a great way to boost morale because employees are not putting wear and tear on their personal vehicles. Employee Benefits:  Company vehicles are valued almost as much ...
0 comments

HHSC Attendant Rate Enhancement Open Enrollment Runs through July 31

By JR Top posted Jul 10,2017
Be the first person to recommend this.
Community Care program providers that want to enroll in the Attendant Compensation Rate Enhancement Program must complete the online Enrollment Contract Amendment (ECA) by 5 p.m. July 31, 2017. The application must be done online; no faxes will be accepted. The ECA, all instructions and worksheets are available on the HHSC Rate Analysis Department website . This program is available to providers in these programs that contracted with HHSC as described in Title 1, Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §355.112 : CLASS Deaf Blind Multiple Disability (DBMD) Primary Home Care (PHC) Questions can be emailed to RAD-LTSS@hhsc.state.tx.us
0 comments

Texas OASIS: Dementia Care Training Expanding to Community Settings

By JR Top posted Jul 10,2017
Be the first person to recommend this.
The following announcement was released on Friday, July 7 from the Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) Quality Monitoring Program Bulletin regarding Dementia Care Training for HCSSAs. "The Money Follows the Person program has received grant funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to expand the Texas OASIS: Dementia Care Training to the community setting.  The training will be available to assisted living facilities, home and community services agencies and day activity centers free of charge.  During each two-day conference, participants will receive in-depth information on dementia care, the Texas OASIS training manual, a flash ...
0 comments

HH+H MACs and NHPCO Hospice Attending Physician Survey

By Marissa Machado posted Jul 07,2017
Be the first person to recommend this.
Palmetto GBA and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) have partnered to explore concerns from hospice providers regarding the attending physician’s role and the hospice benefit. During their conversations, the team had identified two areas of concern that warrants further information from the hospice community. They are asking that you take a couple of minutes to complete a survey to help them better understand issues with the attending hospice physician and the current regulations. All responses are collected anonymously, and are solely for the purpose of gathering data to better understand the current processes. Please take a moment ...
0 comments

Rate Packet for July 19 Rate Hearing on Therapy Rates Released

By JR Top posted Jul 07,2017
Be the first person to recommend this.
Texas Health and Human Services (HHS) Rate Analysis Division (RAD) has released the rate packet for the July 19 rate hearing on therapies. The rate hearing packet and attachments for the July 19, 2017 rate hearing related to physical, occupational, and speech therapy services are now posted under the proposed effective date of September 1, 2017 at http://legacy-hhsc.hhsc.state.tx.us/rad/rate-packets.shtml . The Texas Association for Home Care and Hospice will have more information concerning these rates next week.
0 comments

Effective July 10, Removal of Service Codes for Habilitation and Residential Habilitation (IL 17-15)

By JR Top posted Jul 06,2017
Be the first person to recommend this.
On June 29, 2017 Texas Health and Human Services released Information Letter No. 17-15 (IL 17-15), Removal of Service Codes for Habilitation and Residential Habilitation, This letter applies to providers who are contracted to provide the services in the following programs. Community Living Assistance and Support Services (CLASS) Case Management Agencies (CMAs) CLASS Direct Services Agencies (DSAs) Deaf Blind Multiple Disabilities (DBMD) Program Providers Financial Management Services Agencies (FMSAs) IL 17-15 states that effective July 10, 2017 , to prevent billing submissions for unavailable service codes the following service ...
0 comments