Situation Report | October 19, 2020
Our colleagues at the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) worked with the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP) to provide an overview of CHAP’s accreditation standards for the new home infusion therapy (HIT) supplier benefit, as outlined recently in the NAHC Report newsletter. Below is some information from NAHC, including background on the new benefit previously reported to HCA members.
The new benefit was established in the 21st Century Cures Act and begins January 1, 2021. It covers professional services associated with the provision of Part B infusion drugs, such as nursing services that are furnished in accordance with a plan of care. The services include patient training and education, and remote monitoring.
With permanent implementation of the benefit, professional services associated with Part B infusion drugs may not be provided under the home health benefit.
Part B “home infusion drugs” are drugs administered intravenously or subcutaneously for an administration period of 15 minutes or more in the home of an individual through a pump that is an item of durable medical equipment.
Home health and hospice agencies are eligible to enroll as HIT suppliers. Any provider enrolling as a HIT supplier must first be accredited by a Medicare approved accrediting organization (AO). The AOs are responsible for establishing, maintaining, and enforcing the HIT supplier quality standards.
For further information, see CHAP’s video on their HIT Supplier standards here.