October 1 update. Our PDGM and ICD-10 tools now use the FY2027 code set: 190 codes added, 30 deleted, and no existing code changed clinical group.
See what changedRunning a Medicare-certified home health agency: payment, staffing, compliance and the rules that changed this year.
These guides are for owners, administrators and directors of nursing at Medicare-certified home health agencies. They cover how Medicare pays a 30-day period, what the value-based purchasing scores do to next year's rates, what an EVV or HIPAA program has to include, and what it takes to open an agency.
Each one is written by a clinician who has worked in home health, cites the CMS rule or manual it relies on, and says plainly where a rule is ours to interpret and where it is not. Dated pieces, such as proposed rules and star rating cut points, say when they were written.
A HIPAA checklist for home health agencies with the rule behind each line: Privacy and Security Rules, BAAs, field devices, breach deadlines, the proposed rule.
Issue 1 of the home health regs digest: the October 1 grouper and ICD-10 update, the HHVBP payment report, the star ratings refresh, and GG0170R explained.
CMS posts each agency's preliminary HHVBP report October 1, 2026. It sets your 2027 Medicare adjustment, up to 5% either way. How to read it, and what's left.
The October 2026 Care Compare refresh is the first built on 2025 claims. New cut points for all 7 measures, how a star is calculated, and what moved since July.
What happens between a home health referral and the first visit: intake, eligibility checks, orders, who may open the case, and the CMS clocks that apply.
Home health RN turnover ran 25 to 31% a year since 2022. A worked method to estimate what each departure costs your agency, and what keeps clinicians.
Your geographic payment adjustment comes from a hospital wage index containing no home health labor costs. CMS has opened a request for information on that.
CMS says a terminal or chronic diagnosis does not disqualify skilled need under the home health benefit. What the rule states, and what still gates eligibility.
CMS proposed a 2.4% increase for CY 2027 — with a 3% clawback inside it and $4.9 billion still owed. The real arithmetic, and how to comment.
CMS proposed cutting the OASIS submission window from 4.5 months to 45 days. What changes, when it starts, and how to shorten your QA cycle now.
CMS rebalanced HHVBP weights for 2026 — OASIS functional outcomes now drive 40% of your performance score. Full measure set, what changed, why it matters.
CMS doesn't pay a per-visit rate for home health — Medicare pays per 30-day PDGM period. Here's the 2026 math and what drives your reimbursement.
Electronic Visit Verification is federally mandated for home health and personal care. What it captures, how states enforce it, and what you need.
Complete guide to home health supervisory visit requirements. Covers HHA 14-day rule, PTA/COTA 30-day reassessment, RN-LPN supervision, and 42 CFR 484.80.
Compare the top home health care scheduling software in 2026. Side-by-side breakdown of features, pricing, and fit for small agencies and solo clinicians.
What home health scheduling software actually costs in 2026: per-user, per-patient and flat-rate models compared, plus the fees vendors leave out.
How Medicare pays for home health in 2026: per-visit rates by discipline, the 30-day payment model, what patients owe, and who actually qualifies.
Supervisory visits are a top survey deficiency in home health. Learn the 14-day and 30-day rules, required documentation, and how to stay on schedule.
Certification periods are the backbone of home health billing. Learn what the 60-day cert period is, why spreadsheets fail, and how to never miss a deadline.
Compare EVV vendors for home health in 2026: Cures Act requirements, the six required data points, state-by-state variation, and how to choose one.
Medicare's 48-hour rule gives three deadlines for the initial home health visit. When the clock starts, who can open the case, and where agencies slip.
A guide to choosing home health software in 2026. Compare scheduling, EHR, and agency management platforms by features, pricing, and fit.
Learn how to optimize home health visit scheduling with modern software. Covers auto-scheduling, route optimization, caseload management, and coordination.
How to start a home health agency — licensing, Medicare certification, hiring clinicians, and landing your first referrals. A step-by-step guide.
