CMS Finalizes Calendar Year 2019 Payments and 2020 Policy Changes for Home Health Agencies and Home Infusion Therapy Suppliers

CMS issued a final calendar year 2019 update to the home health prospective payment system (HH PPS). The rule will update both the payment rates and case-mix weights for home health agencies (HHAs) for CY 2019. For home health services beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2020, the rule finalizes a case-mix methodology refinement, which will eliminate the use of therapy thresholds for case-mix adjustment purposes; and will change the unit of payment from a 60-day episode of care to a 30-day period of care, as mandated by section 51001 of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. The rule also contains a new methodology used to determine rural add-on payments for CYs 2019 through 2022 as mandated by statute. Further, the rule will establish a transitional payment for home infusion therapy services for CYs 2019 and 2020, again as mandated by law. For more details, see today’s first Financial Feature.