Webinar Recording: Stay Alert for High-Alert Medications in Home Health: Anticoagulants and Insulin

APTA Home Health collaborated with the National Association for Home Care & Hospice for this nation-wide free webinar. During this recorded webinar, the presenter, Melissa Bednarek, PT, DPT, PhD, will define high-alert medications and focus specifically on anticoagulants and insulin.  The indications, mechanism of action, side effects and clinical implications for each medication class will be discussed.

This webinar was originally recorded on April 27, 2023. 

Click here to view the recording: https://vimeo.com/822041458

ACHH Graduate Virtual Journal Club

When: Thursday, May 11, 2023 | 7:00pm - 8:30pm Eastern 

The ACHH faculty have worked with the APTA Home Health Board to initiate a journal club exclusively for the PT and PTA graduates of the ACHH certification program.

The FREE ACHH journal club will take place three times a year on the second Thursday of January, May, and September, from 7:00pm – 8:30pm EST.  The first 30 minutes will be a happy hour of networking and discussion and then one member will lead a guided journal club.  Participation in the club will carry points towards recertification, with one point for each club attended, to a maximum of 5, and 3 points for the individual leading the discussion.  The club will be held virtually, and details and the link will be sent by the section to all graduates of the program.  It is planned that the topics will rotate through different major areas such as neurological, cardiopulmonary, musculoskeletal and issues specific to PTAs. 

The next event will be on Thursday, May 11, 2023. Any volunteers to lead journal discussions in the subsequent meetings will be appreciated. Remember - 3 points will be awarded towards your ACHH Certification Renewal if you volunteer to lead these discussions. If interested, please email us at [email protected].

ACHH program graduates, click here to register for free! 

Meet Our New Student Council Representative!

My name is Chris Chisler and I am excited to begin my new role as the Home Health Academy’s APTA Student Counsel Representative. I am in the final year of the DPT program at University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences and currently beginning the first of two terminal clinical placements, one in McAllen, Texas and the other in Orange City, Florida. I first became interested in home health while working as a PTA in the Orlando area in Florida. There are few settings that allow for the type of one-on-one time home health offers. I also found home health to be a great way to connect with the community and help those unable to access physical therapy services any other way.

As the first APTA Student Counsel Representative, I hope to foster engagement of student members in the academy. Engagement in professional organizations is a great way for students to develop as leaders and it is my mission to promote this amongst the membership. I look forward to serving the APTA Home Health Academy over the next year building a strong foundation for future student involvement.

Regards,
Chris Chisler, SPT

Final MA Rule Solidifies Prior Authorization Wins

APTA

The APTA-supported provisions announced by CMS will help reduce administrative burden and ensure consistency across MA plans.

In a win for APTA and other organizations fighting to reduce administrative burden, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has put up additional guardrails on the use of prior authorization in Medicare Advantage plans. Among the provisions of the 2024 MA final rule: limits on the application of prior authorization, assurances that a prior authorization approval remains valid as long as medically necessary, and accommodations for patients in transition from one MA plan to another.

Prior Authorization Versus Preserving Continuity of Care

Taken as a whole, the prior authorization-related changes in the final rule are aimed at ensuring MA plans don't apply requirements that disrupt care. According to a CMS fact sheet, the intent is to ensure that MA enrollees receive the same services and items as beneficiaries in the Medicare fee-for-service program. Among the changes:

Prior Authorization Approvals to Remain in Effect for as Long as Necessary
In a significant shift that will place greater weight on clinician judgment, an approval of a prior authorization request for a course of treatment now must be valid for as long as medically necessary to avoid disruptions in care in accordance with applicable coverage criteria, the patient's medical history, and the treating provider's recommendation. These changes were made to the existing minimum continuity and coordination-of-care requirements.

Limits on Prior Authorization Use
The final rule limits MA plans’ ability to employ prior authorization and utilization management policies for reasons beyond confirming the presence of diagnoses or other medical criteria, or to ensure that a service or item is medically necessary. While these requirements aren't new, CMS is reminding MA plans that they need to follow them.

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