OAHC Accomplishments

2019 Accomplishments List
2018 Accomplishments List

Over the past year, OAHC has achieved the following major accomplishments that have moved the association forward toward its Mission and Vision:

Highlighted Accomplishments

• Successfully persuaded Senator Merkley, Congressman Schrader and Congressman DeFazio to sponsor the Home Health Payment Innovation Act bills S. 433 and H.R. 2573.
• Represented the Home Care community in Washington D.C. by participating in the fourth annual Council of States lobby effort, meeting with a majority of our congressional offices.  OAHC’s Executive Director, Board member, and Chair of the Regulatory and Legislative Affairs Committee lobbied Congress with the message of protecting access to home care in Oregon, specifically related to PDGM.
• Protected Home Health and In-Home Care agencies from harmful legislation that would have been nearly impossible for agencies to implement. Successfully modified SB 669 to largely exclude home health agencies and limit impact on in-home care agencies in the legislative session.
• OAHC supported efforts of the Oregon Hospice & Palliative Care Association by testifying, supporting, and ultimately passing both SB 177 and SB 178. These bill allowed stand-alone hospice programs to provide palliative care without an in-home care agency license and authorized a designated health care representative to elect hospice treatment on behalf of an incapacitated individual with a terminal condition in the absence of an advance directive.
• Held two OAHC “Member Update Webinars” – a member offering that provides valuable information on hot topics and serves as a way for members to communicate on issues of importance.
• Hosted a one day PDGM Roadshow workshop in Portland in partnership with the National Association for Home Care and Hospice (NAHC) with record attendance for an OAHC event.

National and State Accomplishments

National Issues

• Successfully reduced the behavioral adjustment in PDGM from 8.2% to 4.36%, a modest, but important add back for Oregon Home Health agencies.
• Engaged in the effort to curtail the negative impacts of PDGM by submitting comments to CMS on the CY 2020 Home Health Prospective Payment System Proposed rule through individual and national efforts.
• Communicated regularly with Congressional offices on issues impacting Oregon providers including specifically the negative impacts of PDGM.
• Communicated OAHC priorities to all national stakeholders to help ensure a united front on all key issues.
• Updated Congressional offices on OAHC member agencies / contact info in their districts.

State Issues

• Engaged in discussions on a large number of employment related issues that could have negatively affected home health, hospice and in-home care agencies in Oregon. While some challenging employment legislation passed, OAHC worked with partners to mitigate those concepts as much as possible.
• Successfully eliminated provisions of the workplace harassment legislation that would have made individual executives, board members or owners of companies personally liable for actions of workers.
• Educated legislators about the impact the home care industry has on Oregonians and the positive impact our industry has on containing costs.
• Produced and utilized an educational brochure that explains the different segments of the home care industry and the issues our industry cares about.
• Met with State Medicaid division on home health and hospice issues including payment, prior authorization, regulation, process, etc.


Professional Development

• Provided 50 educational webinars on key issues to home care.
• Hosted 2 free webinars to members on interdisciplinary teams under PDGM hosted by Sharon Litwin with 5 Star Consulting.
• Partnered with the National Association for Home Care & Hospice on PDGM Roadshow education training webinars.
• Partnered with RBC Limited on Emergency Preparedness Requirements New Interpretive Guidelines 2019 webinar series.
• Partnered with Kornetti & Krafft on OASIS Data Collection webinar series.
• Conducted 49th annual conference with exhibitor expo for all home care industry providers in Redmond, OR.
• Continued partnership with the Home Care Institute and Curaport to offer members a discount on educational offerings.
• Offered continuing online education as a member benefit through our online provider Rochester Community Technical College (RCTC).
• Continued active outreach and collaboration with related health care associations in Oregon to enhance benefits and services to home care providers.
• Provided continuing education credits through California Board of Nursing for multiple educational offerings.
• Partnered with multiple State home care associations on key home care issues.
• Maintained membership in a multitude of national organizations: National Association for Home Care and Hospice, Council of State Home Care Association, and the American Society of Association Executives.
• Continued partnerships with Corridor and Community Health Accreditation Partner (CHAP).

Value in Membership

• Held a Legislative Day at the Capitol for members to meet with their representatives and advocate on behalf of the home care and hospice industry.
• Recruited and retained diverse membership representing a majority of all home health and various hospice and home care providers and affiliated businesses.
• Held strategic planning to ensure industry and organizational strength in home care in Oregon.
• Developed new goals and strategies to improve education, advocacy and membership engagement.
• Expanded coordination with other state associations impacted by Home Care.

Communication with Members

• Provided two quarterly legislative and regulatory update calls to the membership.
• Updates on numerous State and Federal legislative and regulatory changes.
• Updated the new national news messaging on top home care issues via listserv.
• Encouraged member use of OAHC online Legislative Action Center for advocacy messages to Congress.
• Provided members with a new version of dashboard reports to help understand how they compare to the industry.

Community Outreach

• Executive Director attended multiple events for the Council of State Home Care Associations to continue the important communication on Home Health issues among state leaders.
• Participated in national efforts on behalf of OAHC members on advocacy issues through the National Association for Home Care and Hospice, Forum of States,  and the Council of State Home Care Associations.
• Worked with multiple national organization stakeholders to enhance regulatory and legislative advocacy effort.
• Participated with a broad coalition of businesses facing enhanced efforts on employment issues.