Every finding on record at Interim Healthcare of Northwest Florida Inc

An unannounced recertification survey was conducted from 7/15/2024 through 7/18/2024 at Interim Healthcare of Northwest Florida located at 1962 B Village Green Way, Tallahassee, Florida. This parent agency has a branch agency located at 2679 Jenks Avenue, Panama City, Florida. At the time of the survey, the agency was not in compliance with the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 42, Part 484.22, Condition of Participation for Home Health Agencies.

Encoding and transmitting OASIS CFR(s): 484.45(a) Standard: An HHA must encode and electronically transmit each completed OASIS assessment to the CMS system, regarding each beneficiary with respect to which information is required to be transmitted (as determined by the Secretary), within 30 days of completing the assessment of the beneficiary. This STANDARD is not met as evidenced by: Based on record review and staff interview the agency failed to encode and electronically transmit completed Outcome and Assessment Information Sets (OASIS) to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) system within 30 days of completion of the assessment for 3 of 3 sample patients (#4, #10, and #11) who meet the criteria for required data transmission. The Findings Are: Record review for sample patients #4, #10, and #11 revealed all have Medicaid as their payor source. The records also revealed all of these patients are over the age of 18. The records revealed OASIS comprehensive assessments completed at required timeframes, but no evidence/documentation of transmission of the OASIS data sets to CMS. During an interview with the Director of Nursing (DON) on 7/16/2024 at 10:00 AM, she was asked about transmittal of OASIS assessments for Medicaid patients over the age of 18. She replied that the agency does not transmit any OASIS data to CMS, for any of their patients. She stated "I know for a fact we don't transmit that". She stated OASIS data sets are completed for Medicaid patients over the age of 18, but these are not transmitted to the CMS system. She stated Non-OASIS data set forms are completed for all other patients, regardless of their payor source. She stated the agency used to transmit OASIS data on their patients over 18 years of age, but stopped doing so "quite a while ago". She said is is her understanding, per her Administrator, that CMS had informed the Administrator they no longer needed to transmit data for these patients as CMS was not using this data in any way. During a follow up interview with the DON on 7/18/2024 at 1:00 PM, she again confirmed the agency does not transmit any OASIS data into the CMS system. She also confirmed the agency currently has 12 Medicaid patients over 18 years of age (5 served by the Panama City office, and 7 served by the Tallahassee office). Per CMS requirements, a home health agency (HHA) must transmit a completed OASIS assessment to the CMS system for all Medicare, Medicaid, or other federally funded patients, with certain exclusions. Patients #4, #10, and #11 do not meet any of the exclusion criteria, nor do any of the 12 Medicaid patients over 18 years of age being served by the agency.