PDGM BACKGROUND
The Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM), is the most significant change to the home health payment reform in the past 20 years. PDGM completely alters the methodology for calculating payments. An example of this is the removal of therapy utilization as a major component of payment and the reduction of payment periods from 60 to 30 days. In addition to the many clinical and overall operational modifications that will be required, these noteworthy changes in computing Medicare payment rates could also profoundly impact a provider’s PDGM reimbursement levels in comparison to historical PPS payment levels.
TRIPLE AIM GOALS
Moreover, as the CMS Rule’s label describes, all clinical processes (and related operational sub-processes) will require improvement initiatives that focus on achieving CMS’s Triple Aim Goals – achieving patient satisfaction, quality patient outcomes and cost-effective healthcare delivery. So, what does a provider need to do between now and the actual implementation of PDGM in 2020?
PDGM TRANSITION PLAN
Providers should immediately develop a transitional PDGM implementation plan for the organization to achieve effective and complete operational readiness. Each transition plan needs to move away from the historical PPS protocols, identify the far reaching clinical, operational, and financial requirements under the PDGM Rule, and set specific processes and policies in place that are in alignment with the new requirements.
PDGM READINESS SERIES INTRO
In summary, home health providers need to be proactive in identifying how the PDGM Rule will directly impact them financially, clinically and operationally. This three-part series will discuss important areas of focus for agencies to consider to ensure PDGM readiness. This series will provide the framework for agencies to develop and implement strategies that achieve operational readiness before the transition to the PDGM Model in January 2020.
BACK-OFFICE PREPARATION CHECKLIST
Below are the back-office items providers need to consider to understand the impact of PDGM and what changes need to be made to better align with the new payment model.
EMR VENDORS
- Review EMR for complete PDGM readiness
- Identify whether EMR vendor has proven their complete PDGM readiness through test environment results utilizing the current EMR database
REFERRAL SOURCES
- % Community vs. institutional
- Conversion rate
QUALITY
- Patient appropriate for home health
- Adequate information for coding
- Adequate Face to Face (F2F) supporting documentation
REFERRAL PROCESSING
- Review current process for efficiency
- Identify whether there are delays in Start of Care (SOC) related to inefficient referral processing
BILLING STAFF
- Timely insurance verification
- Adequate staffing to support doubling of billing periods
PHYSICIAN ORDERS
- Review current process:
- Current number of days to final bill
- Process includes specific guidelines to ensure timely orders
STAFFING
- Adequate staffing to support timely processing and follow up on outstanding orders
- Timely F2F Encounters
DAYS TO RAP
- Compare the providers’ days to RAP metric to industry best practice
- OASIS & coding process-cycle time conducive to shorter 30-day billing cycle
- Current OASIS, coding & billing leadership confidence in maintaining or improving agency’s best-practice position within the PDGM environment
- Adequate staffing to support increase to 30-day billing periods and potential increase in SOC
- Knowledgeable in acceptable primary diagnosis under PDGM
More on PDGM…
Visit the Videos page of McB Insights to listen as PDGM experts discuss the impacts and what providers need to know.
