In early December, the state Department of Health Services announced that it updated its webpage addressing post-COVID-19 pandemic Medicaid renewal data to include an interactive dashboard.  Specifically, this dashboard includes enrollment data for BadgerCare Plus, Medicaid and other programs that are funded by the state government.  DHS will update this page on the third Thursday of each month – by 2:00pm.

In mid-November, the state Department of Health Services announced that tobacco and vape product use among underage individuals increased by 1.7% from 2022 to 2023.  Specifically, it increased from 11.9% in 2022 to 13.6% in 2023.  This research is based on an “underage” definition of individuals younger than 21.  Per a federal law enacted in 2019, the minimum age to purchase tobacco and vape products was increased from 18 to 21.  However, despite efforts in the Legislature, Wisconsin has not updated state law to increase the minimum age from 18 to 21.  There are seven other states that also have not updated their respective state laws in a similar manner.

The Care Coordination Team from Superior Health Quality Alliance developed a FREE Home Care toolkit to prevent emergency department visits and hospital readmissions through timeliness of care of home care services. The Timeliness of Care Toolkit (described below) includes a Home Care Intake Scripting Tool (HIS Tool), and Home Care Acceptance Tracking Tool (HAT Tool).  

• Timeliness of Care Toolkit: 
• • The HIS (Scripting) Tool can be used to guide your initial and ongoing discussion with potential clients and/or caregivers. It normalizes home care as a crucial component of health care to improve well-being and prevent relapses and readmissions. 
  • The HAT (Tracking) Tool is an Excel spreadsheet that is very easy to use, requiring only 2 checkmarks (if services were accepted or declined,  and if the scripting tool was used). There are (optional) drop-down responses (why services were declined, and suggestions for improvement). The HAT Tool provides weekly and monthly comparisons of home care acceptance rates, correlating with the use of the HIS (scripting) Tool.

Home Care Agencies can download, use, and share the links to the Timeliness of Care Toolkit with other agencies. You can start by viewing the 30-minute Instructional Video, refer to the PowerPoint, and use the Example HAT Tool to practice before you begin using the toolkit. 

• Time for implementation: The Excel tool is very easy to use and implement. It may add a minute (or two) to your intake process, and it calculates acceptance rates automatically. 

From the Desk of NAHC - November 22, 2023

More people die from chronic disease than from acute disease. What this suggests is that the future will be about the management of chronic disease and not acute illness. The number of people going into hospitals will be fewer and they will spend less time there. What will increase by geometric progressions is the number of people cared for at home.

While sheer demographics and increased life expectancy – perhaps the greatest gift of the 20^th and 21^st centuries – have and will continue to increase the demand for home care services, our community will grow for other reasons, as well. Those other reasons mostly center around the great work done by home care workers and the unique services they provide.

So, as we begin this holiday season, here are the top ten reasons to be thankful for home care:

1.      Home care keeps families together. There are few, if any, social values more important than keeping strong families together and this is particularly true in times of illness.

2.      Home care is safer than the alternatives. While hospitalization is sometimes necessary, statistics show that hospitals can be dangerous for patients. It is not uncommon for patients to develop new or additional health problems (about 20 percent of hospital patients develop an infection or other illness) as a result of hospitalization, but those risks are minimized with care at home.

3.      Home care is the most personal care. Home care is tailored to the needs of each individual and delivered on a person-to-person basis with lots of one-on-one interaction between the patient and caregivers. When we care for people in their own homes, we tell them they are special, they matter and they are loved.

4.      Home care involves patients in their own care. In home care, the patient and his or her family are taught to participate in the caregiving by monitoring the health of the patient and taking steps to get well and maintain wellness.

5.      Home care is a much better value. Studies have repeatedly shown that home care is far less expensive than institutionalization. In fact, home care is, on average, 10 times less expensive than a hospital and about four times less expensive than a nursing home.

6.      Home care is more efficient. By caring for people at home, we allow them to avoid room and boarding expenses. In addition, the dazzling improvements in health technology are enabling people to monitor their own health as never before. Thanks to the development of the Internet and other technologies, telemedicine has more potential than ever. What’s more, technology has now developed that make it possible to treat most illnesses as well or better at home than in a hospital.

7.      Home care is the only way to care for some people. In many rural parts of America or even dense urban areas, home care is the only available form of health care. Nurses and aides routinely visit patients in rural areas using unorthodox modes of transportation such as horses, dog sleds and boats.

8.      Home care extends life. Allowing people to age at home not only adds life to their years, it adds years to their lives. Studies by nursing schools and government agencies have established beyond reasonable doubt that home care extends longevity because home care personnel and the intensely personal services they provide assist people not only medically, but psychologically and spiritually, as well.

9.      Home care reduces stress. There is nothing like a health crisis to create stress, not only for the patients, but for their loved ones, as well. Hospitals, with their remoteness, their size and their state of frenzied activity, usually add to this stress. Home care, on the other hand, which is quieter and far more peaceful, has been shown to reduce the stress of patients and their families.

10.   Home care is what people want. Home care is the preferred form of health care for America’s infirm and disabled. In fact, home care is preferred by a margin of 90 percent over comparable institutional care by the infirm. People facing terminal illnesses are increasingly choosing the form of home care known as hospice.

Home care is the oldest and most reliable form of health care, so it is no surprise that America is returning to it. However, home care is also the newest form of health care, as people increasingly prefer it over hospitalization and the advance of medical and other technologies make it possible – even preferable – to treat many maladies at home. The public is demanding that home care become more available than ever and our elected leaders must respond to this demand. NAHC is here to ensure that they do.

ForwardHealth Update 2023-40, "Home Health Care Services Electronic Visit Verification Soft Launch Announcement"

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has published ForwardHealth Update 2023-40, “Home Health Care Services Electronic Visit Verification Soft Launch Announcement.”

For dates of service on and after January 1, 2024, DHS will require use of an electronic visit verification (EVV) system for Medicaid-covered home health care services. The affected services codes can be found on the EVV website. EVV is required by federal law. All states must require EVV system use to maintain full federal Medicaid funding.

Please feel free to direct any questions to Wisconsin EVV Customer Care – Monday through Friday; 7 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. – at 833-931-2035 or VDXC.ContactEVV@wisconsin.gov.

Earlier this month, in recognition of National Home Health Care Month, Gov. Tony Evers issued a certificate of commendation recognizing the important role of home health care professionals in Wisconsin’s health care system and the benefits of home health care for patients across the state. The commendation, which was requested by WiAHC, outlines the value of home health care and highlights the fact that it is a preferred method of health care delivery for patients recovering from an ailment, those who were recently discharged from the hospital, or those dealing with a chronic illness. CLICK HERE to read the read the Governor’s commendation.

Wisconsin Rep. Alex Dallman (R-Green Lake) attended the Wisconsin Association for Home Health Care (WiHCA) 2023 Fall Conference, which was held in the Wisconsin Dells on Nov. 2-3.  Dallman welcomed conference attendees to the Dells and gave a legislative update on health care and workforce issues being considered at the State Capitol. His appearance was part of a larger effort by WiAHC to connect home health care professionals with state lawmakers to advance policies that improve the delivery of home health care across Wisconsin.

“WiAHC greatly appreciated Rep. Dallman's appearance at the conference, his insightful comments, and his willingness to engage our members in positive dialogue”, said Jayne Thill, WiAHC Board Chair. “His support of home health care in Wisconsin, particularly related to the home health care worker shortage, will help pave the way toward sustainable solutions to improve care.”

“It was great to speak at WiAHC’s 2023 Fall Conference and give attendees an update on work the legislature is doing for home health care services across the state,” said Dallman. “I believe home health care services help keep costs low for families while also giving individuals the comfort of staying in their homes. I am grateful for the work WiAHC is doing to advance and expand home health care services in Wisconsin.”

Dallman who was first elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 2020 represents the 41^st Assembly district, which includes the northeast corner of Sauk County and large portions of Adams, Marquette, and Green Lake Counties. His district also includes the cities of Wisconsin Dells, Adams, Portage, and Green Lake. He currently serves as a member of the Legislature’s powerful Joint Finance Committee, which oversees development of the state’s two-year budget.

ForwardHealth Update 2023-40, "Home Health Care Services Electronic Visit Verification Soft Launch Announcement"

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has published ForwardHealth Update 2023-40, “Home Health Care Services Electronic Visit Verification Soft Launch Announcement.”

For dates of service on and after January 1, 2024, DHS will require use of an electronic visit verification (EVV) system for Medicaid-covered home health care services. The affected services codes can be found on the EVV website. EVV is required by federal law. All states have to require EVV system use to maintain full federal Medicaid funding.

Questions? Contact Wisconsin EVV Customer Care Monday–Friday, 7 a.m.–6 p.m. CT at 833-931-2035 or VDXC.ContactEVV@wisconsin.gov.

WiAHC hosted Katie Wehri, Director of Home Health and Hospice Regulatory Affairs at the National Association for Home Care and Hospice at the 2023 Fall Conference.  Katie’s “Home Health Update” was the morning after the Final Rule was published and included the latest news and updates.  Click HERE for a copy of Katie’s presentation and a report from NAHC can be found HERE.

Wisconsin Rep. Alex Dallman (R-Green Lake) recently attended the Wisconsin Association for Home Health Care (WiHCA) 2023 Fall Conference, which was held in the Wisconsin Dells on November 2-3.  Dallman welcomed conference attendees to the Dells and gave a legislative update on health care and workforce issues being considered at the State Capitol. His appearance was part of a larger effort by WiAHC to connect home health care professionals with state lawmakers to advance policies that improve the delivery of home health care across Wisconsin.

“WiAHC greatly appreciated Rep. Dallman's appearance at the conference, his insightful comments, and his willingness to engage our members in positive dialogue”, said Jayne Thill, WiAHC Board Chair. “His support of home health care in Wisconsin, particularly related to the home health care worker shortage, will help pave the way toward sustainable solutions to improve care.”

Home health care offers a wide range of health care services provided by skilled non-physician practitioners, such as nurses and physical therapists, to treat an illness or injury in a patient’s home.

The goal of home health care is to treat patients in the comfort of their homes, where they tend to recover more quickly, avoid complications, and enjoy a better quality of life than they might in an acute care setting.

“It was great to speak at WiAHC’s 2023 Fall Conference and give attendees an update on work the legislature is doing for home health care services across the state,” said Dallman. “I believe home health care services help keep costs low for families while also giving individuals the comfort of staying in their homes. I am grateful for the work WiAHC is doing to advance and expand home health care services in Wisconsin.”

Dallman who was first elected to the Wisconsin Assembly in 2020 represents the 41^st Assembly district, which includes the northeast corner of Sauk County and large portions of Adams, Marquette, and Green Lake Counties. His distirct also includes the cities of Wisconisn Dells, Adams, Portage, and Green Lake. He currently serves as a member of the Legislature’s powerful Joint Finance Committee, which oversees development of the state’s two-year budget.