Deadline for Submitting a Participation Exemption Request for the 2015 Annual Payment Update: Final Reminder
folder_openInformation for Home Health Agenciescalendar_todayPosted January 8, 2014

This announcement is a final reminder that Medicare-certified home health agencies (HHAs) eligible for an exemption from participating in the Home Health Care CAHPS (HHCAHPS) Survey for the calendar year (CY) 2015 annual payment update (APU) must submit a Participation Exemption Request Form (PER) by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on January 16, 2014. This deadline for submitting the PER for the 2015 APU was announced in the Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update for CY 2014, Home Health Quality Reporting Requirements, and Cost Allocation of Home Health Survey Expenses (CMS-1450-F) that was published in the Federal Register on December 2, 2013. The final rule is available on the HHCAHPS Web site at:

https://homehealthcahps.org/Portals/0/HHCAHPS2014FinalRule.pdf

Medicare-certified HHAs that served 59 or fewer unduplicated patients between April 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013 who met survey eligibility criteria may request an exemption from participating in the HHCAHPS Survey for the CY 2015 APU. All Medicare-certified HHAs seeking an exemption from participating in the HHCAHPS Survey for the 2015 APU must count the number of unduplicated patients served between April 1, 2012 and March 31, 2013 who met survey eligibility requirements and report the count to CMS via the online PER form on the HHCAHPS Web site at:

https://homehealthcahps.org/ForHHAs/ParticipationExemptionRequestForm.aspx

HHAs that submitted an HHCAHPS PER Form for the CY 2013 or CY 2014 APU are reminded that they must submit a PER Form every year, if they are eligible to do so.

For more information, contact the HHCAHPS Survey Coordination Team via email at hhcahps@rti.org or call toll-free at (866) 354-0985.