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|  | | Generate more referrals from physicians that turn into admissions. Master the art and craft of communicating effectively with physicians by applying these words of wisdom from Dr. M. Tray Dunaway. |
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Issue: #241
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September 5, 2012 |
Greetings!
... to this issue of Home Health Care Today, the leading electronic newsletter for home health care and hospice executives who want to grow their business and get ready for the future.
Please enjoy this newsletter, and join our interactive community.
Best regards,
Stephen Tweed
CEO
Leading Home Care ... a Tweed Jeffries company |
Over 2000 Hospitals to be Penalized for High Readmission Rates | 
by Stephen Tweed, CSP
According to a report from Kaiser Health News, more than 2,000 hospitals - including some nationally recognized ones - will be penalized by the government starting in October because many of their patients are readmitted soon after discharge, new records show.
Together, these hospitals will forfeit about $280 million in Medicare funds over the next year as the government begins a wide-ranging push to start paying health care providers based on the quality of care they provide.
Read More... |
Nurses Indicted for Receiving Kickbacks for Home Health Medicare Referrals | Chicago - August 13, 2012 - A home health care agency in suburban Lincolnwood, two nurses who are part owners of the company and a third nurse affiliated with them, along with two marketers, were indicted on federal charges for allegedly participating in a conspiracy to pay and receive kickbacks in exchange for the referral of Medicare patients for home health care services, federal law enforcement officials announced today.
Defendants Marilyn Maravilla and Junjee L. Arroyo, both part owners of Goodwill Home Healthcare, Inc., and three other defendants allegedly conspired to pay and receive approximately $400,000 in kickbacks to themselves, nurses, marketers and others for the referral and retention of Medicare patients that enabled Goodwill to bill Medicare approximately $5 million.
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By Stephen Tweed
Sitting on at airplane this afternoon on my way to Atlanta, I saw an interesting tid bit under the title, "Notable and Quotable". The writer, Jonathan Tobin, said "there may be some voters who are indifferent to the impact on the economy of health care reform... But will they stand for an increase in the price of Pizza".
Then he goes on to quote our neighbor here in Anchorage, KY, John Schnatter. John is Papa John of Papa John's Pizza. John says Healthcare reform will cost his company 11 to 14 cents per pizza, and 15 to 20 cents per order filled. John says that "the Obamacare government surcharge will be passed on to consumers".
That raises the question of how much the new law will add to the consumer's cost of a Big Mac, or a Coke? Tobin suggests that this across-the-board surtax on virtually all expenditures will hit the poor a lot harder than the rich.
So what impact will this have on us in home health care, hospice, and private duty home care?
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| Comment Period Closing for 2013 Home Health PPS Rule | 
The deadline is 5:00 pm eastern time on September 4, 2012 to comment on the proposed PPS rules for 2013. The proposed PPS rule that was published in the July 13, 2012 Federal Register at www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2012-07-13/pdf/2012-16836.pdf where you can find the process for submitting comments.
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| Who will be Member Number 3,000? | 
This past weekend, we approved member number 2,999 to the Leading Home Care Network discussion group on Linked In. Who will be the next person to join? In just over a year, nearly 3,000 leaders in home health care, hospice, and private duty home care have joined in our discussions around the topics of most interest.This group is limited to leaders who are currently employed by a home health agency, hospice, or private duty home care company. We want this to be an active discussion, so there are no vendors, recruiters, or non-home care folks who clutter up the discussion with self-promotion or job ads.As a result, we are getting into some very interesting in-depth discussions that you will find interesting.
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UPCOMING EVENTS: |
September Webinar:
"Serving More Clients: Strategies and Insights to Grow Private Pay, Non-medical Home Care During Turbulent Times"
With Stephen Tweed
Thursday, September 27, 2012
4:00 - 5:00 pm Eastern Time
In these times of turbulent change in home care, the strongest, fastest growing companies will survive. In this high impact, interactive workshop, Stephen Tweed will share with you the latest insights from the research conducted by Leading Home Care. Then he will guide you in developing a highly effective sales, marketing, and public relations strategy to get more referrals, convert more admissions, and serve more patients.
In this highly interactive learning process, you will experience a proven process for communicating with your customers and potential customers. Whether it's persuading a discharge planner to refer clients to your company, creating a direct mail advertising campaign, or making an appearance on a local TV talk show, you'll find these skills invaluable to your success.
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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 Home Health Care Today. Copyright 2012 Stephen C. Tweed. To receive a FREE subscription to this newsletter, log on to www.leadinghomecare.com"
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Strategic
Planning
for
Home
Health
&
Hospice
| Fall is a time when many executive teams in home health care and hospice begin the process of Strategic Planning. Some agencies have an annual process. Others have a three year cycle. The era of five year plans is pretty much gone.
Stephen Tweed, CEO of Leading Home Care, has been facilitating the Strategic Planning process for home health agencies and hospices for over 25 years. Using the Storyboarding technique from the Walt Disney organization, Stephen has developed a proven model of strategic thinking, and a highly interactive process for getting your senior leaders, middle managers, and board of directors involved. He'll lead you through assessing your current reality, setting a direction for the future, defining your competitive advantage, developing focused action plans, and measuring the success of your agency and your plan.
If you and your leadership team want to have an amazing experience with the planning process, call us to day to set up a conversation with Stephen Tweed to discuss your Strategic Planning process.
| | Visit our web site for more details |
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