Coronavirus Resources for Home Care & Hospice
At the National Association for Home Care & Hospice, we are concerned about COVID-19 and how it will impact our members and their patients. As we continue to learn more about this virus, we invite our members and visitors from the home care and hospice community to use this page as a resource. Information will continue to be updated as it is available.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
- COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions
- Home Care & Hospice FAQ: COVID-19 Town Hall – Advocacy
- Hospice FAQ: Proposed Rule FY 2021
- Hospice FAQ: Inpatient Unit Preparations and Response to COVID-19
- Hospice FAQ: Telehealth, Waiver & CoP Flexibility
- Home Health FAQ: Telehealth, NPP, CoP Waivers
- Home Care Industry Coronavirus (COVID-19) Employer FAQs
- Q&A Session: Home Health and Hospice Pandemic Relief: Medicare and More Webinar
- Q&A Session from COVID‐19: Infection Prevention and Control Strategies Webinar
INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS & CAREGIVERS
- COVID-19 PPE Resources
- What cancer patients should know
- Best Medical Alert Based on In-Depth Reviews (Consumers Advocate)
- Rosalynn Carter Institute for Caregiving Caregiver Support | REACH Referral
- Guidance from AARP for Family Caregivers During Coronavirus
- Guidance from AARP for Older Adults and Caregivers During Coronavirus
- Use of Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow the Spread of COVID-19
- Tips for Care at Home with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19
- Patient Guide for COVID-19
- Caregiver Guide for COVID-19
- Guide for Cleaning and Disinfecting COVID-19
- Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Fighting Products
NAHC ADVOCACY
- COVID-19 Policy Success and Requests
- 4/13 Video statement from NAHC President William Dombi
- Advocacy Efforts to Mobilize Home Care & Hospice to Fight COVID-19
SHARED RESOURCES
- Survey Results (6/29): National Survey of Home Health Agencies on COVID-19
- Survey Results (4/27): National Survey of Home Health Agencies on COVID-19
- Grants for Hospice, Long Term Care, & Home Care Nurses
- COVID-19 Relief Funding Revenue and Cost Tracking Tool
- COVID-19 Surge Planning Tool
- Coronavirus Products & Services Resource Page
- Elsevier Healthcare Hub Community Care
- Guidance for Home Health & Hospice Agencies on Admissions from and Discharges to Hospitals Related to COVID 19
- COVID-19 Summary (Updated 3/30): Important Updates
- MedBridge COVID-19 Toolkit
- Exposure to Coronavirus (201-NCOV): Disease Response & Management
- Coronavirus Guidance for Home Health & Hospice
COVID-19 Screening and Testing Tools Provided by a Health System
EXTERNAL RESOURCES
Health Care Supply Chain, Provider Self-Care, and Emergency Preparedness Resources
The most recent Express from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) Technical Resources, Assistance Center, and Information Exchange (TRACIE) highlights recently developed resources, including:
- Stress Management Exercise for Health Care Workers Responding to COVID-19: Manage stress before, during, or after your shift
- Crisis Standards of Care during COVID-19: Speakers share their experiences and practical considerations for state health departments and hospital systems related to the ethical application of crisis standards of care
- COVID-19 Clinical Rounds Peer-to-Peer Virtual Communities of Practice: Interactive virtual learning sessions aim to create a peer-to-peer learning network where clinicians from the U.S. and abroad who have more experience treating patients with COVID-19 share their challenges and successes
- COVID-19 Alternate Care Site Resources: Collection addresses capacity and capability gaps and includes a toolkit, video, and fact sheet
- COVID-19 Health Care Workforce Virtual Toolkit: Links to tools and resource collections related to health care workforce issues, from licensure and scope of practice expansions, to training, protection, and resiliency resources for health care workers
For More Information:
CDC Guidance
- Decontamination and Reuse of Filtering Facepiece Respirators using Contingency and Crisis Capacity Strategies
- Information for Healthcare Professionals
- Interim Guidance for Public Health Personnel Evaluating Persons Under Investigation and Asymptomatic Close Contacts of Confirmed Cases
- Interim Infection Prevention and Control Recommendations for Patients with Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 in Healthcare Settings
- Interim Clinical Guidance for Management of Patients with Confirmed Coronavirus Disease
- Strategies for Optimizing the Supply of PPE
CMS Guidance
HOME HEALTH
- Home Health Agencies: CMS Flexibilities to Fight COVID-19
- Home Health Telehealth for Face to Face Guidance
- Home Health Agencies
HOSPICE
MEDICAID
MEDICARE
- COVID-19 FAQs on Medicare Fee-for-Service Billing (5/27)
- Guidance to help Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans Respond to COVID-19 (PDF)
ALL
- Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Provider Burden Relief Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Medicare Billing FAQs
- COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers
- Use of Certain Industrial Respirators by Health Care Personnel
- Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) COVID-19 Test Pricing(PDF)
- Guidance to help Medicare Advantage and Part D Plans Respond to COVID-19 (PDF)
WHO Guidance
- WHO: Mental Health and Psychosocial Considerations During COVID-19 Outbreak
- WHO: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) technical guidance
OSHA Guidance
- Temporary Enforcement Guidance – Healthcare Respiratory Protection Annual Fit-Testing for N95 Filtering Facepieces During the COVID-19 Outbreak
- Guidelines for Workers and Employers
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Stats
- Johns Hopkins Resources for Community & Patients
- Office of the Inspector General
- PQHH: Combatting Coronavirus: Opportunities for Expanded use of Home Health to Support Patient Safety and Public Health
- How to Prepare for Coronavirus (COVID-19) and Influenza: Free Training & Resources digital toolkit
- COVID-19 Resources for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals
INTERACTIVE TOOLS
- CDC: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
- Was I Exposed to Coronavirus?
- Checklist: Home Care & Hospice – What You Should Be Doing Now (3/16)
- Coronavirus Home Care and Hospice Checklist
WEBINARS & VIRTUAL EVENTS
Upcoming Webinar
- November 11: Home Care Industry COVID-19 Legislative Update
Past Webinars
- October 29: COVID-19 Clinical Rounds
- Aug 5: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 13 (Recording and Handout)
- June 24: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 12 (Recording and Handout)
- June 10: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 11 (Recording and Handout)
- June 3: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 10 (Recording and Handout)
- June 4: Home Care Industry Update (Recording, Handout, and Handout)
- May 27: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 9 (Recording)
- May 20: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 8 (Recording and Handout)
- May 13: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 7 (Recording and Handout)
- May 7: CARES Act Emergency Funds: How to Achieve Accountability and Compliance Part II (Recording and Handout)
- May 6: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 6 (Recording and Handout)
- May 5: COVID-19 Waiver Preparation for OTs Opening Cases – Part 2 (Recording and Handout)
- April 30: The Home Care Industry Update: Mechanics of the PPP, Arbitration & more (Recording and Toolkit)
- April 30: CARES Act Emergency Funds: How to Achieve Accountability and Compliance Part I
- April 23: Legislative Update, Litigation Armoring, and Recommended Operational Guidelines for the Home Care Industry
- April 23: COVID-19 Waiver Allowing HHAs Flexibility for OT to Open Cases – Part 1
- April 22: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 5: Providence (Recording)
- April 16: COVID-19 Legislative Update and Recommended Operational Guidelines( (Recording and Handout)
- April 15: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 4: Visiting Nurse Service of New York (Recording and Handout)
- April 14: CMS COVID-19 “Office Hours”
- April 9: COVID-19 Legal Changes Webinar Series COVID-19 Pandemic, FFCRA, CARES and the Unemployment Dilemma
- April 8: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 3: BKD (Recording and Handout)
- April 3: Critical Employment Law Changes During COVID-19 Pandemic
- April 2: National Coalition for Hospice and Palliative Care Conversation with Coalition Leaders: Impact and What Lies Ahead
- April 1: COVID-19 Town Hall Part 2: John Hopkins Home Care Group (Recording)
- March 31: Home Health and Hospice Pandemic Relief: Medicare and more
- March 27: COVID-19: Infection Prevention and Control Strategies
- March 27: How Hospice Inpatient Units are Preparing and Responding to the Threat of COVID-19: A Community Conversation
- March 25: Home Care & Hospice COVID-19 Town Hall Part 1: Brent Korte, EvergreenHealth (Recording available)
- March 13: COVID-19: The Impact on Home Care and Hospice (Recording available for $40, use promo code NAHCCOVID)
- March 5: CDC: What Clinicians Need to Know to Prepare for COVID-19 in the United States (Recording available)
ARTICLES
- CMS Modifies Innovation Models in Response to COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
- CMS Reevaluates Accelerated Payment Program and Suspends Advance Payment Program
- Home Health Prepared to Help Relieve Coronavirus Strain on System
- $2 Trillion Stimulus Bill Would Relax Home Health Certification Requirements, Encourage Telehealth Use
- HHCN Poll: 31% of Home-Based Care Providers Have Been Affected by COVID-19
- CMS Waives Hospice Rules Amid COVID-19 Emergency
- Over-Capacity Challenges Loom Large as US COVID-19 Hospitalizations Projected to Reach 4.8M
- NAHC Urges CMS to Make Sweeping Regulatory Changes as Coronavirus Hits Pandemic Status
- CMS Issues Home Health COVID-19 Guidance, Eases Supplies Standards
- Avoiding Panic, Educating Staff Keys to Surviving Coronavirus Scare
- Hospices Gear Up to Face COVID-19
- Senate approves $8.3 billion total coronavirus response package
- U.S. to Miss Rollout Goal This Week on Virus Tests, Senators Say
- Preparing for Emergencies & Disasters Before They Happen
- As Confirmed Cases Rise, Home Health Industry Turns Its Attention to Coronavirus
- NAHC Shares Coronavirus Checklist
- CMS Announces Actions to Address Spread of Coronavirus
- Home Health and Hospice: Prepare NOW for the Coronavirus!
HEALTH PROTOCOLS
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to this virus. The CDC recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases, including:
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Follow CDC’s recommendations for using a facemask (facemasks are only needed for those who show symptoms of coronavirus).
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
