As a member of AHA’s Long-Term Care & Rehabilitation Council, Lori Jarboe, CEO of Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Lakeview, is working to help AHA hear Kentucky post-acute care (PAC) voices to represent and help guide national post-acute care initiatives. AHA is continuing to work on advancing a post-acute care media campaign to build awareness of the value of post-acute care. As part of this plan, they will be using a variety of channels to feature innovative PAC initiatives and partnerships. PAC hospitals in Kentucky are invited to join this process by sharing one or more of the following with Jarboe:

A few sentences describing your PAC innovation/s. What was the need driving your efforts? Who were your key partners? How did your effort reduce costs and/or improve outcomes? Recommend a referring hospital representative who would be willing to speak on the value of post-acute care services. How does the post-acute care organization provide unique value? What does...

Earlier today, KHA submitted comments to CMS regarding the proposed fiscal year 2020 inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) prospective payment system rule. The comments are available to members on the Policy page of the KHA website.

KHA specifically commented on the definition of a rehabilitation physician and the proposed weighted motor score.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Nancy Galvagni at KHA (ngalvagni@kyha.com).

KHA is urging the Kentucky congressional delegation to sign a bipartisan Dear Colleague Letter that is being circulated in Congress by the House Ways and Means Committee. The letter deals with CMS’ proposal to make major changes to the system under which patients are functionally assessed and classified under Medicare. This impacts the Medicare patients that need inpatient rehabilitation care and the seven freestanding and 11 hospital-based rehabilitation units (IRFs) in Kentucky’s hospitals who care for and rehabilitate patients who have experienced major medical events such as traumatic brain injuries, strokes and spinal cord injuries.

The letter asks important questions of CMS and highlights concerns with this proposal. KHA has asked all of Kentucky's Congressmen to sign onto the letter, which expresses concerns about this CMS proposal and encourages the agency...