Home health agencies are required to maintain certain documentation within their own agency records that demonstrates compliance with specific Conditions of Participation for the Medicare program. This documentation is maintained on-site for use in the home health agency survey process.
While the number of Medicare participating HHAâs has slightly decreased over the last 3 years, the number of new HHAâs entering the program has almost doubled and the number of HHA patients in Medicare participating HHAâs has remained the same. There is one new burden added at 484.58 Discharge Planning. On September 30, 2019, CMS published a final rule Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Revisions to Requirements for Discharge Planning for Hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, and home Health Agencies, and Hospital and Critical Access Hospital Changes to Promote Innovation, Flexibility, and Improvement in Patient Care (51836 FR Vol. 84 No. 189). This new CoP requires HHAâs develop and implement an effective discharge planning process. This new requirement added over $207 million to the overall burden. The burden hours inceased from 4,462,295 to 7,394,066 from the last approval. Also, the hourly rate of most of the HHA staff noted in this package has significantly increased from 2017.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.