LHC #138 - How are You Doing Under the New PPS?

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How are You Doing Under the New PPS?

The first half of 2008 is a period of Winners and Losers

June 25, 2008

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In this issue...

-- Is Your Agency Doing as Well as Your Competitors Under the New PPS?

-- Sales and Marketing Strategies for PPS Performance

-- The Top Ten Techniques of Highly Effective Home Care Marketers

-- About the Author

-- Permission to Reproduce

Welcome,

. . . to Stephen Tweed's Leading Home Care Report, the premier online newsletter for CEOs and executives of America's leading home health care agencies. (For strategies and insights on how to grow your Private Duty non-medical home care business, we invite you to subscribe to Private Duty Today, our newsletter for non-medical home care.)


Is Your Agency Doing as Well as Your Competitors Under the New PPS?

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The first half of 2008 is nearly over, and we're checking in to see how you are doing under the new PPS reimbursement system. I've been traveling around the country speaking at state and national home care associations meetings this spring, and talking with home health leaders about how their agencies are doing under the new PPS.

The reviews are mixed, but it's about like we predicted. There are winners and losers. Which are you?

It appears that the predictions offered by CMS were accurate, with for-profit free standing agencies in the south doing worse than before, and not-for-profits and hospital agencies in the north doing better. But after those broad generalizations, it comes down to individual agencies performing under the new system.

The May 26 issue of Home Health Line, from Decision Health, described how some agencies are winning big. Two thirds of agencies that completed their survey reported they are making money under the new PPS, and 17% said they are making 15% or more on their Medicare revenue.

It seems like the agencies who are doing better under the new system are the ones that took these changes seriously and took time to prepare before January 1, 2008. The agencies who are doing poorly are the ones who did not take it seriously, and did not make preparations for the change.

Also, we're seeing that those agencies that followed our suggestions about Sales and Marketing Strategies for PPS Performance are focusing on bringing in new referrals that bring higher revenue per episode.

There are six things you should have initiated before January 1, 2008, and followed up during the first quarter of the year:

  1. Provided training for your clinicians on consistency in assessment using OASIS.
  2. Training for your clinicians and coders on the secondary diagnoses that add value to an episode.
  3. Training for your billers on the needed documentation for billing under the new regulations.
  4. Training for your intake team to do a better job of serving your key referral sources.
  5. Training for your recruiters on more effective ways to recruit nurses and therapists.
  6. Training for your sales and marketing team on ways to focus on bringing in more high-value admissions.

Score yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 on each item. What's your total score out of a possible 60?

It's not too late to go back and provide the training that you should have initiated before the start of the year. It's never too late to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of your home care team members.


Sales and Marketing Strategies for PPS Performance

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In January 2008, we kicked off a dynamic, interactive audio teleseminar series featuring Judy McGuire, Michael Giudicissi, and me. We examined the major changes to the PPS reimbursement system, and explained how your sales and marketing team can take advantage of this new system to bring in more new clients with higher revenue per episode.

If you missed the live teleseminar, it's not too late. The program is still available on audio CD's, and it's not too late to bring your sales and marketing team members together for three 90 minute training sessions.

Here are some of the key learning points you can expect your team members to get from this audio program:

  • How the new PPS impacts sales and marketing
  • Sales team strategies for PPS Performance
  • Measuring and Managing Sales Success under PPS

To order a copy of the audio CDs for Sales and Marketing Strategies for PPS Performance, click on the link below and go to the Leading Home Care Telesminars page. Click on the link for the program beginning January 17, 2008. Follow the instructions just like you are registering for the live teleseminar, and we'll send you the audio CD package.

Then, you can download the free participant materials, and the on-site facilitator's guide. You'll have everything you need for a powerful series of three 90 minute sales and marketing training sessions.

Log on now to purchase the audio CD set and get your sales training started


The Top Ten Techniques of Highly Effective Home Care Marketers

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What are the most effective techniques to grow your home care business? What methods are used by the top home care marketing experts?

In 2004, Leading Home Care launched the first industry study of top marketing techniques. Since then, we've continued to monitor forces and trends affecting home care marketing.

For the latest information on how to grow your home care business during any economic times, you'll want to order a copy of our eBook; The Top Ten Techniques of Highly Effective Home Care Marketers.

Order your copy today!


About the Author

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Stephen Tweed, CSP, is Chairman and CEO of Leading Home Care ... a Tweed Jeffries company. For over 25 years he has been a recognized leader in strategy and leadership development for home care companies and associations. He is the author or co-author of five books, four of which were written specifically for the home care industry. He has served on the boards of directors of three not-for-profit home care agencies, and has served as interim President & CEO of a $25 million homecare company.

Stephen is a past-President of the National Speakers Association, a 3500 member international society of experts who speak professionally. He is also the father of a 38 year-old son who is physically disabled and uses the services of home care on a daily basis.

Meet the entire Leading Home Care Team


Permission to Reproduce

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Permission is granted to healthcare publications, associations and companies to reproduce this article in your publication, or to distribute copies to your leaders, on the condition that you reproduce the credits and contact information as follows: "Reprinted with permission from Stephen Tweed's Leading Home Care Report. Copyright 2008 Stephen C. Tweed. To receive a FREE subscription to this newsletter, log on to www.leadinghomecare.com."



Contact Leading Home Care

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phone: 1-866-209-5101

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