On this episode of AHCC Talk, Christine Mickel joins Jan Milliman to examine the connection between physician documentation, clinical assessment, coding, OASIS responses, and reimbursement under PDGM. Learn how clinical grouping is established, when comorbidities may affect payment, why the same functional score can produce different results, and what to reassess at recertification.

Plus, work through the latest AHCC scenario spotlights involving hospice symptom follow-up requirements and proposed CY 2027 PDGM changes.

✅ Jan Milliman, HCS-D, Director, AHCC

✅ Christine Mickel, PTA, HCS-D, HCS-O, HCS-H, Manager, OASIS and Coding, McBee Associates

Links Mentioned in the Episode

2026 Home Health Payment & Compliance Virtual Summit: https://store.decisionhealth.com/hh-payment-compliance

Calendar Year 2027 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/07/06/2026-13602/calendar-year-2027-home-health-prospective-payment-system-hh-pps-rate-update-requirements-for-the-hh

Learn more about AHCC credentials: https://store.decisionhealth.com/ahcc-credentials

⬇️ Downloadable slides from this discussion: https://ahcc.decisionhealth.com/media/1795/ahcc-talk-episode-93-handouts-final.pdf

📧Have a question, episode request, or suggestions for a future panel guest? Email Jan at jan.milliman@decisionhealth.com

On this episode of AHCC Talk, Jan Milliman, HCS-D, Director of AHCC, is joined by AHCC Advisory Board member Lisa Selman-Holman, JD, BSN, RN, HCS-D, HCS-H, HCS-O, COS-C, Vice President of Clinical Services with McBee, for a look back at the first eight months of using the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation — HOPE — tool.

Jan and Lisa discuss how the transition from HIS to HOPE has affected hospice workflows, documentation, visit timing, symptom follow-up visits, data integrity, and compliance risk. They also review common submission issues, rejection patterns, warning vs. error distinctions, and practical ways teams can improve acceptance rates and HOPE accuracy.✅ Jan Milliman, HCS-D, Director, AHCC✅ Lisa Selman-Holman, JD, BSN, RN, HCS-D, HCS-H, HCS-O, COS-C, Vice President of Clinical Services, McBee

Links Mentioned in the Episode

Medicare Program; FY2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/04/06/2026-06604/medicare-program-fy-2027-hospice-wage-index-and-payment-rate-update-and-hospice-quality-reporting

Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) Guidance Manual v1.01: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/hope-guidance-manual-v1-01.pdf

Hospice Quality Reporting Program: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality/hospice

Learn more about AHCC credentials: https://store.decisionhealth.com/ahcc-credentials

⬇️ Downloadable slides from this discussion: https://ahcc.decisionhealth.com/ahcc-talk-episode-92-eight-months-of-the-hospice-hope-tool/

📧Have a question, episode request, or suggestionsfor a future panel guest? Email Jan at jan.milliman@decisionhealth.com

In this episode of AHCC Talk, host Jan Milliman, HCS-D, is joined by J’non Griffin, RN, MHA, HCS-D, HCS-H, HCS-C, COS-C, Director at SimiTree Healthcare Consulting, for a timely discussion on survey readiness for home health agencies.

Jan and J’non break down the most common deficiencies identified by CMS, CHAP, ACHC, and TJC, including recurring issues around individualized plans of care, patient communication, documentation reliability, medication regimen review, infection control, and aide supervision.

Listeners will learn why the same standards continue to appear year after year, how agencies can identify workflow gaps before surveyors arrive, and what a practical 90-day survey readiness plan can look like.

✅ Jan Milliman, HCS-D, Director, AHCC

✅ J'non Griffin, RN, MHA, HCS-D, HCS-H, HCS-C,COS-C, Director, SimiTree Healthcare Consulting

Links Mentioned in the Episode

• Reserve your spot at the Home Care Leadership Summit: decisionhealth.com/hcls2026
• ⬇️ Downloadable slides from this discussion: https://ahcc.decisionhealth.com/media/1785/ahcc-talk-episode-91-handouts.pdf
• 📧Have a question, episode request, or suggestionsfor a future panel guest? Email Jan at jan.milliman@decisionhealth.com