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7:30am
Registration Opens

8:00am-9:00am
Owner's Forum Breakfast (RSVP Required. Limited to persons who own 20% or more of a licensed home and community support services agency and are actively involved in management.)

9:00am-11:00am
Opening Ceremonies & Awards

Remarks from House Ways & Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX); Mr. Brady is the Chairman of the House Ways & Means Committee, considered by many to be most powerful committee in Congress and has primary jurisdiction over all Medicare issues, including those facing home health and hospice.  This year his Committee debated and ultimately passed the U.S. House version of the American Health Care Act and is currently drafting legislation on Value-Based Purchasing for post-acute care providers. Pending face-to-face legislation also is within his Committee’s jurisdiction. Congressman Brady will continue to be at the center of healthcare and tax reform throughout this Congress.

Keynote by Matt Havens: Stop Acting Your Age! An Entertaining Keynote to Help You Avoid Generational Warfare
In this hysterical keynote, you'll learn a simpler way of looking at your own generational picture, how to understand, recognize, and resolve every generational issue. Other presentations focus on what people want, but this session will tell you why everyone wants the different things they do. It's an important distinction, will make implementing new solutions easier than you ever thought possible. (1.00 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates)

11:15am-12:30pm - Concurrent Sessions
1a. Technologies for Compliance, Competition and Cost Cutting
The number of certified HHAs decreased last year for the first time since IPS. Private Duty competition intensifies every month. Survival is not guaranteed even though there are more elderly than ever. However, there are at least a half dozen tools you should put in place – all of which more than pay for themselves – that will profoundly increase your chances of thriving, no matter what Congress and your competition do. This presentation by the 18-year veteran Editor of Home Care Technology Report will introduce you to new, affordable technologies you need but have never heard of. One will protect you from payment denials, ADRs and MAC/ZPIC/RAC takebacks. Another will drastically reduce your hospital readmission rate. A third will catapult you to the top of Google search results, which cannot help but increase your census. This presentation will include success stories of your colleagues who have already deployed them, so don’t miss out! Speaker: Tim Rowan, Home Care Technology Report (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates)

1b. Creative Connecting: Innovative Ways to Build Referrals for Home Care and Hospice
In the competitive fields of home care and hospice, it’s vital to set your company apart. One way is to market your company as a resource instead of a vendor since referral sources tend to reach out to resources and shut the door on vendors. Learn how from this presentation on creative ways to build and maintain relationships with referrals. We begin with some marketing basics for home care and hospice. Then we’ll conduct a SWOT analysis exploring strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Building on this, we’ll review a plan to help attendees approach their marketing goals in a systematic way. Lastly, we will explore ways to frame your
company as a resource, not a vendor, and keep those doors open wide. Speaker: Anne McSweeney, LMSW, Founder, CEU Concepts (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates)

1c. So You Think Your Compliance Program is Effective?
Effectiveness is the new standard for compliance programs. It is no longer good enough simply to have a compliance program; now you must show that it is an "effective" compliance program. This presentation will review how to assess your compliance program for effectiveness, utilizing the government's newly published guidance documents. It will also give attendees tips for inexpensive ways to improve the effectiveness of their compliance programs.  Objectives: 1. Participants will understand what makes a compliance program effective. 2. Participants will be able to apply standard criteria to their compliance programs, in order to assess whether their program would be considered effective. 3. Participants will be understand inexpensive and easy to utilize means for making their compliance programs more effective. Speaker: Jennifer Papapanagiotou, JD, Richard Pecore, JD, LilesParker, PLLC  (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.25 contact hour continuing education for nurses)

1d. Increase the Value of Your Services; Tips for Successful Participation in Medicaid VBP
With over half of all Medicaid beneficiaries receiving services through managed care organizations (MCOs), states have a unique opportunity to use MCO contracts and relationships to accelerate wide-scale adoption of value-based payments (VBP). Texas is jumping on board with this concept and your agency needs the tools to succeed in this new world. It is key for providers to position themselves successfully to contract with MCOs by understanding the data needed to develop mutually agreeable quality based contracts.  Attend this workshop and hear directly from HHSC about how they are requiring MCOs to develop alternate payment structures between them and their health care providers to encourage innovation, quality and efficiency.  Hear directly from Jami Snyder, Associate Commissioner, Medicaid CHIP, who also implemented VBP in Arizona about the approaches Texas is taking to implement VBP through MCO contracts.  Don’t be left behind!  Speakers: Matt Ferrara, Director, Office of Quality Oversight, Andy Vasquez, Deputy Associate Commissioner of Quality & Program Improvement., Jami Snyder, Associate Commissioner, Medicaid/CHIP Services, Texas Health & Human Services (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates)

12:30pm-1:45pm Networking Lunch

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1:45pm-3:15pm - Concurrent Sessions
2a. Trends in Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
In order to curtail the continued presence of fraud, waste, and abuse within government programs, specifically home health and hospice, the OIG has implemented the use of data analytics to highlight providers who are outliers in terms of billing trends.  It is essential that providers become aware of how their data analytics will be observed by an outside party.  Along those same lines, emphasis is now being placed on provider-administered compliance programs.  Successfully administered compliance programs will be key if a provider’s data analytics ever come into question.  Attend this workshop to gain insight from the original Federal prosecutors in the Dr. Roy case who successfully led the indictment for one of the largest fraud cases in home health.  Speakers:  Mindy Sauter, co-founder of Elliott Sauter, PLLC and  former Federal Prosecutor for the Northern District of Texas;  Michael Elliott, co-founder of Elliott Sauter, PLLC and former Federal Prosecutor for the Northern District of Texas. (1.50 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.50 contact hour continuing education for nurses; 1.50 SWCEU’s)

2b. Do Your Employee Handbook Make the Grade?
Employee handbooks are a critical element to any business, whether the business is a large publically traded organization or a small business with only a few employees. While a small business may see no need for an employee handbook, many reasons to have such a handbook exist.  This presentation will cover recent legal developments and challenges by the National Labor Relations Board affecting common workplace rules found in handbooks, including workplace conduct, use of corporate email, social media, and confidentiality rules. Learn about how to create clear handbooks to mitigate your employer liability.   Speaker: Melissa Judd, JD, Littler Mendelson, P.C. (1.50 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates)

2c. Violence in Home Care: Protecting Your Workforce
Home healthcare workers often face an unsafe and unpredictable environment as they visit a client’s neighborhood and home. Since more violent incidents occur in health care settings than any other profession, your administrative staff are also vulnerable. We’ll discuss the extent of the problem and what measures your home health agency or hospice can take to help protect your workforce from violence. Speakers: Robert Liles, JD; Anthony Cutrona, JD, Liles Parker, PLLC (1.50 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.50 contact hour continuing education for nurses; 1.50 SWCEU’s)

2d. Achieve Rewards from Your Performance Data
Texas Medicaid payors are beginning to look at new payment models called “Value-Based Payments (VBP) and/or Value Based Contracting (VBC).” The idea behind the new models is for payors to work with providers to ensure delivery of high quality and cost-effective care to their members.  TAHC&H brings you three (3) Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to present a panel discussion about steps a provider might want to take for structuring a VBP/VBC with a payor.  Providers will also learn how these (3) Texas MCOs are currently rolling-out VBP/VBC. They will spend time discussing  the process they implement with providers and elements needed to create VBP/VBC.  Plus, there will be an ample opportunity for FAQs!   Implementing a program in collaboration with your MCO could earn your organization rewards for quality services and care. Understanding how your data is involved as well as other reporting requirements is critical to your success, so don’t miss this opportunity to be ahead of the curve rather than behind it!  Speakers: Angie Parks, United Healthcare; Robert Wells and Ceseley Rollins, Superior Health Plan; Kelley Longhofer, Community First (1.50 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates)

3:30pm-5:30pm - Concurrent Sessions
3a. TAHC&H Business Meeting
3b. Care of the Geriatric Patient with Dementia (required for nurses)
This course satisfies the Texas Board of Nursing requirement for continuing education regarding geriatric nursing care.  It explores the most common types of dementia with a focus on Alzheimer’s Disease and the nursing care of the dementia patient in the home and how to utilize appropriate strategies to manage common behaviors. Speaker: DeAnn Briscoe, Senior Clinical Education Consultant (2.00 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 2.00 contact hour continuing education for nurses; 2.00 SWCEU’s)

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5:30pm-7:00pm President's Reception in Exhibit Hall

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Thursday, August 10

7:30am-8:30am

Registration Open & Breakfast in Exhibit Hall

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8:30am-10:00am
“The future of Home Care and Hospice under the New Administration and Congress”
A lot has happened since the New Administration took over but despite the front and center approach to health care, a solution remains a distant enigma.  Where does home care and hospice fit into the larger picture and what can be done to move the home care and hospice agenda forward while congress battles over the bigger healthcare package?  Hear from the leading DC lobby firm about home care and hospice objectives that may be achievable this congress along with what TAHC&H has actually done to achieve these objectives.  Also walk away with an understanding of the new Administration’s health care aspirations and how that could affect both Medicare and Medicaid services.   Speaker: Hans Rickhoff, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP (1.00 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates)

10:15am-11:30am - Concurrent sessions:
4a.  How to Save Face with Face-to-Face 
The face-to-face encounter documentation has been a challenge for the home health industry, especially since the Medicare contractors have reported that preliminary results for the Probe and Educate Review were not favorable. We still have much to learn when it comes to achieving better results. If you have already received your five ADRs, join this presentation to learn how to make improvements going forward. Additionally, of course, for those who have either not received any ADRs or those who have received denials, this is your opportunity to learn effective strategies for making corrections. It’s important to note that accurate F2F documentation is an essential part of pre-claim reviews. Join PPS Plus’s Education Director, Jennifer Warfield, as she explains and defines required documentation, how to receive cooperation from providers, and how to respond to the ADRs for F2F documentation. Speaker: Jennifer Warfield, PPS Plus Software (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.25 contact hour continuing education for nurses)

4b. Administrator's Guide to Developing Your Director of Nursing
Regardless of an Administrator’s credentials, they are held responsible for both the operational and clinical aspects of home care services.  Home care is one of the toughest industries for compliance given the never ending maze of rules and regulations. This is true both in the Administrative side and Clinical side. With that comes the very delicate question, how does an Administrator help develop and guide the Director of Nursing to ensure clinical issues don’t balloon to enforcement level violations that could affect the overall operation of the agency?  Ensuring the Administration and clinical team works together is critical to successful operations.  Attend this workshop to hear from your colleague and President who can share helpful tips to implementing this team approach in your agency. Speaker: Jennifer Lopez, BSN, RN, State Health Services Director, ResCare, Inc., TAHC&H Board President (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.25 contact hour continuing education for nurses)

4c. Home Care in the Trump Era:  A Practical Guide to Building Compliance
Investigations and lawsuits against home care companies continue to rise, while the new political administration’s policy agenda remains in flux.  Join Angelo Spinola from Littler Mendelson, PC to learn more about the new Department of Labor and the current status of the overtime exemptions. Discuss the pay practices most commonly targeted by lawsuits and government investigations, and how companies can reduce their risk of liability by creating and prioritizing a compliance plan. Speaker: Angelo Spinola, Littler Mendelson, PC (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates)

4d. Protecting Your Hospice Practice through Effective Documentation
In hospice we are told to "paint the picture" of the patient's condition to authenticate eligibility for admission and recertification. But, do we really understand how to paint the picture? Most survey deficiencies can be traced to faulty documentation. Strategies to improve documentation include specific verbiage to meet regulatory standards and a toolbox filled with descriptive and comparative words and phrases. This workshop equips you to document assessments. Speaker: Diane Datz, RN, MA, Hospice Program Director, HealthCare ConsultLink (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.25 contact hour continuing education for nurses)
 

11:30am-1:45pm Lunch in Exhibit Hall

1:00pm-2:15pm - Concurrent Sessions:
5a. Clinical Services Management: What Works to Improve Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Performance?
With Home Health Value Based Purchasing (HHVBP) going strong in the 9 demonstration states it is a forgone conclusion that HHVBP will become a nationwide reality.  The core goal of HHVBP is to reach the best practical patient outcome.  HHVBP measures focus on clinical outcomes as central components of a performance measurement system. For many years, HHAs have worked to achieve improved patient outcomes, but there was no direct connection to payment. With HHVBP, clinical success for payments can translate to higher Medicare reimbursement. This program is designed to explore the clinical practices that make a difference in HHVBP scoring. When clinical practices work for patients, HHVBP makes them work for a HHAs bottom-line as well. This session will:
     • Identify areas most susceptible to patient outcome improvement
     • Recognize best practices in clinical operations that impact HHVBP scores
     • Identify practical steps towards successful implementation of HHVBP best practices
Speaker: Melinda Gaboury, COS-C, Chief Executive Officer, Healthcare Provider Solutions, Inc. (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.25 contact hour continuing education for nurses)

5b. Linking OASIS C-2 to the New Conditions of Participation: An In-depth Review
As agencies look at steps to comply with the new CoPs, it is also critical to understand how they relate to the new OASIS C-2 instrument.  This workshop will provide an in-depth review of OASIS C2; what stayed the same, what changed, and what is new and also review the links to the new CoPs?  Attendees will discuss how to pull all of these critical pieces together in order to ensure compliance and survey readiness.  Speaker: Deborah Lynn Johnston, RN, COS-C, HCS-D, SelectData (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.25 contact hour continuing education for nurses; 1.25 PT CCUs, credit approval pending)

5c. Evolving Programs to Support the Aging American Population
Nearly a quarter of our population is reaching retirement age. Americans are living longer and with more chronic conditions, which means greater cost to the healthcare system.  The gap is growing between the number of aging Americans needing home care and the available resources and programs to fund their care. Private Duty agencies must understand how these programs are changing and how newly-emerging programs will alter the landscape dramatically. Third party programs change rapidly, especially with a new presidential administration. Attendees will learn about:
     • The long-term care insurance market evolution
     • Current state of Medicare and Medicaid and how the Trump administration’s healthcare and tax reform could alter them
     • The new Veterans Choice Program & how to get involved.
     • Non-profit organization that can provide long term care benefits
     • Workers’ Compensation & the role it plays in home care services
     • “Contract payers”-how to work with them and how they differ from other third party payers
     • Accountable Care Organization and the shift from fee-for-services to alternative payment models
     • How to tap into third party programs to gain new clients
     • How to bill third party payers effectively
Speaker: Matt Capell, CEO, FHS SeniorCare Payment Solutions (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.25 contact hour continuing education for nurses; 1.25 SWCEU’s)

5d. Minimizing Your Risk with General Inpatient Continuous Service Intensity Admissions
After the Office of Inspector (OIG) probes of hospice GIP admissions in 2011 and 2012, hospices have come under increasing scrutiny when providing this level of care. The OIG reviews found that 27% of hospices reviewed did not provide GIP to any of their Medicare hospice patients; and non-compliance was found in meeting admissions criteria, documentation, physician involvement, IDT oversight, and more. This workshop provides tools for the effective management and documentation of GIP admissions. Speaker: Diane Datz, RN, MA Hospice Program Director, HealthCare ConsultLink (1.25 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.25 contact hour continuing education for nurses)
 
2:30pm-4:00pm - Concurrent Sessions:
6a. Financial Operations Management: What Are the Keys to Success in Home Health Value-Based Purchasing?
While clinical performance is essential for success in Home Health Value Based Purchasing (HHVBP), a strong partnership with a HHA’s Financial Operations can exponentially improve the chances of positive achievement. Performance tracking, return on investment analysis, cost efficiency strategies, and prioritization of actions can help turn clinical success into bottom-line positive outcomes. This program explores the strategies, tactics, and operational adjustments that the financial management team at an HHA can take in combination with clinical practices that form the foundation for HHVBP success. This session will:
     • Identify the standards used to determine what brings the best returns on clinical investments
     • Recognize best practices for integrating HHVBP clinicians with financial operations
     • Determine which HHVBP measures your agency should target to achieve the highest overall score
Speaker: Melinda Gaboury, COS-C, Chief Executive Officer, Healthcare Provider Solutions, Inc. (1.50 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.50 contact hour continuing education for nurses

6b. Avoiding False Claims Based on Homebound Status, Medical Necessity, and/or Inadequate Documentation
False claims liabilities exist for 10 years beyond the date of the claim.  With increased government scrutiny and RACs, ZPICs and CERT contractors on the hunt it is important to ensure your documentation is up to the challenge.  Attendees will learn the five items necessary to avoid false claims due to Homebound status/Medical Necessity, discuss the six areas frequently deficient in documentation and define ten areas of documentation focus in Skilled Nursing and Therapy.  Speaker: Deborah Lynn Johnston, RN, COS-C, HCS-D, SelectData (1.50 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.50 contact hour continuing education for nurses)

6c. A Deep Dive into the Data Behind Hospital Readmissions: Helping Agencies Reduce Rates Further
Home Health offers hospitals one of the best strategies to reduce 30-day readmissions, but are we living up to the challenge? With the negative reimbursement impacts to hospitals and a likely HHA pay-for-performance measure, agencies need to continually look at their data to understand the relationships of patient characteristics and the utilization of services provided to improve their scores. Using data from the SHP (Strategic Healthcare Programs) database, we will analyze the different characteristics and agency profiles behind hospital readmissions. The data provided during this session will help agencies focus and refine efforts that lead to better performance. This session will:
     • Identify how HHA’s should use the CMS hospital readmission penalty criteria to position their value proposition
     • Identify the characteristics of patients that are readmitted to the hospital
     • Analyze readmission rates between different agency types
     • List three definite red flags that put patients at high risk of readmitting within 30 days of discharge from the hospital
Speaker: Chris Attaya, MBA, FHFMA, VP of Business Intelligence for Strategic Healthcare Programs (1.50 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.50 contact hour continuing education for nurses)
 
6d. Get Ready! Changes Ahead for Hospice
The fiscal year 2018 Hospice Proposed Final Rule will become effective October 1, 2017.  In this session, the speakers will talk about Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP), changes to the hospice wage index and payment rate, aggregate cap amount, new Hospice Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) measures, the launch of Hospice Compare,  CASPER reports and the Hospice Evaluation and Assessment Reporting Tool (HEART).  In conjunction, speakers will tie in how clinical behaviors affect each of these changes. Speakers: Sherri Foster, RN, Legal Nurse Consultant; Carolyn Williams, RN, CHC, HCS-O, CHP, Legal Nurse Consultants, BrooksAcevedo Attorneys at Law (1.50 clock hour continuing education for Administrators/Alternates; 1.50 contact hour continuing education for nurses; 1.50 SWCEUs)