Health Facility-Based HHAs

2186 - Health Facility-Based HHAs (Rev. 125, Issued: 10-31-14, Effective: 10-31-14, Implementation: 10-31-14) An HHA based to a hospital, SNF, hospice, or rehabilitation facility is expected to be an integral but subordinate part of the institution. Administrative and fiscal controls may be exercised over the HHA. However, the HHA’s policies, personnel files, and clinical records must be separate and identifiable. Time records must be maintained for all personnel who provide home health services and must be identifiable as home health regardless of whether they are part-time or full-time. The HHA’s use of personnel who are also concurrently employed by a hospital, SNF, hospice, or rehabilitation facility is acceptable provided the HHA’s operating hours are definite and not arbitrarily subject to the operation of the other institution, and provided the other institution’s operation does not interfere with the HHA’s maintaining compliance with the CoPs. An HHA’s services must be supervised by an employee of the HHA. If members of the institution’s governing body serve the HHA as the group of professional personnel, minutes must reflect meetings of this group. Clinical records may be maintained in the record room or department. However, the clinical records must contain information pertinent only to the delivery of home health services, and should be readily available for either claims review or review by the SA. In surveying the health facility-based HHA, the SA or AO considers the institution’s ability to share its administrative structure and personnel in fulfilling the needs and requirements of the HHA on a continuing basis. The CoPs for HHAs must be applied and met independently.