Community HealthChoices is bringing managed care to the Pennsylvania home care market, and last week’s Pennsylvania Home Care Association (PHA) Annual Conference was a critical event for home care agencies to learn more about what these changes mean.

As a key player at the event, our HHAeXchange team had dozens of conversations with home care providers to understand their concerns and help educate them on critical actions to ensure they are ready for a managed care ecosystem. Here is what our team heard about and discussed at the show:

  • Greg Strobel, president: “In looking at the Pennsylvania market, there is no question that there is opportunity for growth, and many agencies we spoke with at the show are using agency management systems that won’t support agencies that expand above the 100 census threshold. As the CHC deadline approaches, it’s imperative that agencies consider a platform that will account for this growth.”

  • Scott Schwartz, vice president of sales: “A lot of uncertainty remains regarding the timing and specifics of CHC, and home care agencies that are providing critical support to vulnerable populations can’t afford to be confused or unprepared. One of the most frequent discussions I had at the show is the need for an agency management system that will work closely with managed care organizations (MCOs) to ensure compliance, no matter how the specifics of the CHC mandate come down.”

  • Mary Maloney, senior vice president, strategic accounts: “Our team has worked closely with MCOs in the state of Pennsylvania to ensure that our platform is designed to comply with their guidelines. For PHA members and home care providers in the state, using a system that will ensure compliance is a must. The most common question I received at the show focused on how to ensure compliance with CHC and make sure that their agency is positioned for a multi-contract environment.”

  • Dom Chiarenza, enterprise sales executive: “With the mandate of electronic visit verification (EVV), many providers are trying to incorporate a new – or replace an existing – EVV solution to ensure they are ready for the new managed care environment. What I heard most at the show is the need for an EVV solution that offers features that matter – an integrated system and dashboard for scheduling, unlimited telephony and more. Going a step further, most providers are looking beyond traditional EVV to a platform that can help automate all of their agency functions.”

Whether you have an EVV system or not, learn more about how you can prep for CHC and ensure compliance and position your agency for growth.