Monday, November 16
A. Legislative Report: The Interim 84th Texas Lege and 114th U.S. Congress (10:00 - 10:30 am)
While home care agencies struggle to implement current rules and regulations, lawmakers remain busy concocting the next round of health care reforms. Administrators will need to keep one eye on the future and attend this session on legislative actions at the state and federal level. Marina Hench, TAHC&H’s Director of Public Policy, will report on legislative implementation of bills passed during the 84th Texas Legislative session and its “Interim” year. This will include information on the massive restructuring of Texas health and human services agencies as a result of Sunset. She will also discuss federal legislation such as Value-Based Purchasing and a potential health care package that could address face-to-face and audit contractors. Finally, she will share an update on several federal lawsuits including the Companionship Exemption and face-to-face, respectively. (0.5 clock hours HCSSA Administrator/Alternate)
B. Emergency Disaster Preparedness: We Have a Plan...Now What?* (10:30 - 11:45 am)
Developing an emergency operations plan is only one step in the complex cycle of emergency management. This session will focus on actions you can take to not only meet regulatory requirements, but to fine-tune plan details, incorporate best practices, and integrate into the planning and response community in your area. Speaker, Lori Upton, is the Regional Director of Emergency Management and Operations for the Southeast Texas Regional Advisory Council. In that capacity she coordinates and prioritizes planning objectives to meet Federal preparedness grant requirements and acts as the Medical Operations Chief in the Catastrophic Medical Operations Center (CMOC) for a 25 county region that includes over 160 hospitals and 900 nursing homes in 277 cities. Come learn how to apply your plan and coordinate emergency preparedness in your community. (1.25 clock hours Administrator/alternate; 1.25 contact hours for nurses)
C. HCSSA Regulatory Compliance for Administrators* (1:00 – 5:00 pm)
Texas Home and Community Support Services Agencies (HCSSA) regulatory compliance is a challenge endeavor that can be managed. Learn the current key licensure regulations that affect a HCSSA administrator’s day to day managerial responsibilities. Topics include a review of Title 40 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Chapter 97, including regulations that cover advance directives, client rights, agency responsibilities, emergency preparedness, and complaints and issues related to reporting abuse, neglect and exploitation (ANE). Agency licensing law, Health and Safety Code Chapter 142, and other laws that affect home care including but not limited to Health and Safety Code Chapter 250 and Human Resources Code Chapter 102 will be addressed. New regulatory changes, regulatory interpretation, application of the regulations by surveyors and best practices for compliance will be part of this extensive education. Speaker: Rhonda Crawford, BSN, RN, CHCE, HCS-D, HCS-O, COS-C, Foundation Management Services. (3.75 clock hours Administrator/Alternate: 3.75 contact hours continuing education for nurses)
Tuesday, November 17
D. The Most Interesting Employment Issues in the World for Home Care and Hospice * (8:15 - 9:45 am)
Two years ago it felt like a new employment rule was put into effect each week but now it seems like a daily occurrence. Most of the activity is being generated by state and federal agencies making it extremely difficult to remain up to date on employment law issues. This session will discuss the hot buttons of liability including which employees are exempt under the Fair Labor Standards Act and how to pay them (the new regulations will make it much more expensive). The federal government has also issued new guidance regarding independent contractors. Compensable time quandaries such as travel, on-call, waiting time and bonuses (discretionary and/or non-discretionary) will be discussed. If you use the companionship exemption, you need to know the Department of Labor seems to have succeeded in basically eliminating it for home health care agencies. The need to provide leaves of absence seems to have expanded to the point that employees may not ever have to come to work. Finally we are still having fun reading what the National Labor Relations Board says employees may post on Facebook about employers and not be disciplined. Bring your questions. Speaker: Daniel R. Stern, JD, COX SMITH (1.5 clock hours HCSSA Administrators/Alternates)
E. A Corporate Integrity Agreement May Be Good Medicine…But is This What You Need for Your Agency’s Health? * (10:00 - 11:30 am)
In today’s healthcare environment there is an ever-increasing amount of scrutiny and government oversight of home health and hospice providers. It may not be a question of “if” you are ever under investigation, but “when” your agency is under the microscope. It is becoming increasingly necessary to ensure your risk and compliance programs meet the Federal Sentencing Guidelines (FSG). In this session we will look at specific Corporate Integrity Agreements (CIAs) and how closely mirrored they are to the FSG. A robust, effective and ethical compliance program that is more than a binder on the shelf will be a key to keeping the “medicine” away! Speaker: Karen Bommelje RN, BSN, HCS-D, CHC, Senior Manager, Compliance, Simone Healthcare Consultants, LLC. (1.5 clock hours HCSSA Administrators/Alternates; 1.5 contact hours continuing education for nurses)
Concurrent Sessions:
Tuesday, November 17, 12:45 pm - 2:15 pm
1a. Infection Control Components for Home Care and Hospice Organizations Today*
This session will discuss the role of the hospice and home care RN administrator in the adoption and enforcement of infection control practices. With focus on compliance in our world today, setting the standard for basic infection control practices is crucial. Key infection prevention strategies will be given to assist in the management of re-hospitalization rates, patient satisfaction and quality patient care. We will demonstrate how providers, practitioners, patients and lawmakers are all currently involved in this issue. Find out what you as an administrator should be asking of your agency with regard to this topic. Speaker: Freda Kelley, RN, BSN, Vice President Clinical Operations, Maxus Healthcare Partners. (1.50 clock hours HCSSA Administrator/Alternate; 1.50 contact hours continuing education for nurses)
1b. HIPAA, HITECH Act & House Bill 300
This course will provide a general overview of the Privacy and Security Rules under HIPAA and the new obligations under the Omnibus Rule for covered entities and business associates. Further, it will provide a general overview of HITECH Act, how it changed HIPAA and how it may impact home health providers and their practices. Lastly, the course will review the privacy and security rules on protected health information under the Texas Medical Records Privacy Act (aka Texas HB 300) and how it applies to home health providers. Speaker: Richard Y. Cheng, JD, Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, L.L.P. (1.50 clock hours HCSSA Administrator/Alternate; 1.50 contact hours continuing education for nurses; 1.50 SWCEUs)
Concurrent Sessions
Tuesday, November 18, 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
2a. Workplace Violence: Prevention Through Planning
Home care workers face significant risks of job-related violence which can be prevented through the development of a workplace violence prevention program. Incident prevention like any business function requires a plan. Effective incident prevention plans focus on management, commitment, worker participation, worksite analysis, hazard identification, hazard prevention and control, training, and program evaluation as the keys to protecting employees and the bottom line. Speaker: James Shelton, M.S., Compliance Assistance Specialist, Houston North OSHA Area Office (1.0 clock hours HCSSA Administrator/Alternate; 1.0 contact hours continuing education for nurses
2b. Health Care Fraud & Abuse*
This session will provide a general overview of healthcare fraud & abuse laws that affect providers including False Claims Act, Stark & Anti-Kickback Statutes. Statistics, investigations, problematic conduct (including blatant overutilization) and sanctions will be discussed. Administrators will gain a practical understanding of the Texas Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act –enforced by CMF Division of Texas Attorney General Office, criminal statutes, whistleblower/qui tam actions, as well as tips on responding to governmental inquiries (e.g. Texas Medicaid Fraud Control Unit). Speaker: Richard Y. Cheng, JD, Shannon, Gracey, Ratliff & Miller, LLP. (1.0 clock hour HCSSA Administrator/alternate; 1.0 contact hour continuing education for nurses)
Concurrent Sessions
Tuesday, November 18, 3:45 pm - 4:45 pm
3a. Establishing Professional Boundaries in Home Care
This workshop addresses appropriate boundaries in home care, inclusive of pediatrics, geriatric, private pay, community care, home health, and hospice. Appropriate professional boundaries in the home setting are especially difficult to maintain, but absolutely essential to patient-centered care. Professional boundaries affect the client, their family/friends, and the home care professionals in their daily interactions. It is important to understand the most common areas where boundaries are violated, to engage in self-assessment, and to practice strategies to establish healthy boundaries. Speaker: Shannon Anderson, LMSW, Director of Community Relations, Therapy 2000. (1.0 clock hours HCSSA Administrator/Alternate; 1.0 contact hours continuing education for nurses; 1.0 SWCEU)
3b. Neglect & Exploitation: New Rules from Senate Bill 1880*
Texas has some of the most stringent regulations related to the identification and investigation of suspected ANE in home health and hospice. This session will discuss the new rules & investigation process identified in the recently passed Senate Bill 1880 that dictates an agency’s policies and responses to suspected ANE. We will also examine common mistakes that agencies make with regard to ANE complaints and practical steps to avoid them. From the intake of the complaint to the closing of the investigation, this session will address the processes needed to maintain compliance with Texas regulations. Speaker: Troy Brooks, Esq. BrooksAcevedo Attorneys at Law (1.0 clock hour Administrator/Alternate; 1.0 contact hour continuing education for nurses; 1.0 SWCEU)
Concurrent Tracks
Wednesday, November 18, 8:15 am - 12:30 pm
Track 1 - Medicare Home Health
The Financial Impacts of the HH PPS Rule for 2016: Do You Know How Much This is Going to Impact Your Reimbursement? Do You Want to Know? (8:15 am - 12:30 pm)
The Proposed/FINAL Rule for Home Health Prospective Payment System for 2016 is bringing numerous changes that will impact your agency from a financial perspective. There have been reductions to our annual updates for 10+ years now, with many of those years seeing outright reductions to reimbursement, as projected for 2016. This session will review significant areas noted in this Rule, most of which will impact Texas HHAs. The Value-Based Purchasing Demonstration for home health will also be discussed. Make no mistake, CMS believes that there are too many HHAs operating in Medicare and is looking to whittle down that number and many of these changes are steps in that direction. As an Administrator, you are looked to be the captain of your agency as you try to navigate the turbulent seas of Medicare regulations and reimbursement. Understanding these changes as early as possible will help you prepare your agency for the changes that 2016 are sure to bring. Short-term reactions to long-term issues are no longer viable options if you plan to operate for the long run. Join us as we review the coming changes and get insights on how to prepare and position your agency to survive and hopefully thrive in 2016 and beyond. Speaker: John M. Reisinger, CPA (TN Licensed), Innovative Financial Solutions for Home Health (4.0 clock hours HCSSA Administrator/Alternates; 4.0 contact hours continuing education for nurses)
Track 2 - Pediatric
ICD-10-CM Coding for the Pediatric Home Health Population (8:15 am - 12:30 pm)
The transition from ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM coding is underway and the impact is huge for the entire medical community. Anyone who is held to HIPPA (Health Information Privacy & Portability Act), not just those who bill Medicare and Medicaid, will be impacted. We are all required to follow the Coding Guidelines that incorporate coding conventions, general guidelines, and chapter-specific guidelines. All chapters will be used for coding pediatric patients; however, we will see some of these patients frequently coded from Chapter 16 (Certain Conditions Originating in the Perinatal Period – P00-P96) and Chapter 17 (Congenital Malformation, Deformation, and Chromosomal Abnormalities – Q00-Q99). Please join us to review guidelines of coding and applying them to the pediatric population and the impact that this change will have in billing and coding practices. It is recommended that participants have a basic understanding of ICD-9 coding and bring an ICD-10-CM book to work through pediatric-specific scenarios. Speaker: Lynn Speckels, RN, BSN, HCS-D, COS-C, HealthCare ConsultLink (4.0 clock hours HSSSA Administrator/Alternate; 4.0 contact hours continuing education for nurses)
Track 3 - Hospice
How to Implement an Acuity Rating System in Your Hospice Agency (8:15 - 10:15 am)
This program will show how you can use information captured through your EHR (electronic health record) to calculate acuity and better evaluate patient needs. This trending and benchmarking will allow the organization to build a sustainable business model, develop performance improvement plans, and be prepared for the population it serves. Speaker: Teresa R. Craig, BBA, CPA, CEO of North America, Care Monitoring 2000, LLC, Clearwater, FL (2.0 clock hours HCSSA Administrator/Alternate; 2.0 contact hours continuing education for nurses)
Hospice Billing Update - Including 2016 Payment Reform (10:30 am - 12:30 pm)
What will the 2016 Payment Reform mean for YOUR hospice agency? This session will explain the crucial components of the Hospice Payment Reform including NOE (notice of election) and timeliness required as well as the undesirable consequences of an untimely NOE. Learn the steps for solving hospice billing issues/denials including transfers, notice of terminations/revocation, and re-election. Key to SIA (Service Intensity Add-On) and split Routine Home Care rates will be detailed. Attend this presentation to hear the impact this payment reform will have on hospices in 2016 – you can’t afford to wait! Speaker: Melinda Gaboury, COS-C, Chief Executive Officer, Healthcare Provider Solutions, Inc. (2.0 clock hours HCSSA Administrator/Alternate; 2.0 contact hours continuing education for nurses)