Welcome to the Kentucky Home Health Association Website!

KHHA is continually striving to link information, and education on home health care issues and resources to those needing to know how to access, and utilize home health care. It is our hope that this site will offer you details about specific home health care providers and how to access their services as well as offer details about issues of importance to the home care provider in today's ever changing environment.

We welcome your messages and requests to our e-mail address as well as your calls and faxes to obtain resources or further information about programs and materials on home health care.

The Kentucky Home Health Association is a trade association serving Kentucky's home health care industry. The KHHA is an organization of providers who value the home as a therapeutic environment for  the care of persons experiencing   an impairment of their health and wellness. To support this value, we join together those striving to   improve the availability and quality of this care with those who advocate for, establish public policy regarding, regulate and pay for care at home.

1. To promote care at home as a vital component of the health care delivery system.
2. To provide a strong unified voice to speak in all matters of concern to providers of care at home in areas of reimbursement, regulation and  legislation.
3. To provide a mechanism to strengthen administrative and clinical capabilities of  providers of  care at home.
4. To encourage the use of standards that will enhance the quality of care at home.
5. To provide a mechanism for communication, planning and education relevant to providers of care at home.
6. To foster research and development opportunities for the advancement of knowledge to improve the delivery of care in  the home.
7. To promote a strong positive public image for the home care industry.

SERVICES:

• Weekly e-newsletter (Executive Edge) - Complete with information on topics of importance such as OSHA, Medicare, Medicaid, licensure & certification, what's happening on state & national scene.
• Subscription to KHHA Listserve -  Newsbriefs and alerts keeping members informed of state and federal legislative and regulatory affairs.
• Legal Issues newsletters prepared by an attorney with practice focused on home care issues.
• Minutes of quarterly meetings with Medicare Fiscal Intermediary, Palmetto Government Benefits Administrator, which provide Medicare clarifications & interpretations.
• Listing in the Directory of Home Health Agencies and Hospices in Kentucky, a biannually-produced directory, as well as a listing on the KHHA website (www.khha.org).
• Access to members-only sections of KHHA website.
• Preparation and/or distribution source for guidelines, protocols and various manuals developed for home health providers.
• All employees eligible for member fees at all workshops and conferences.
• All employees eligible to serve on KHHA Committees and to serve as At-Large and Regional Directors on KHHA Board.

EDUCATION:

• Numerous one-day continuing education seminars for clinical and administrative staff,  many approved by the KY Board of Nursing for nursing CEU's.
• Spring and Fall Conferences offering  educational and networking opportunities for all levels of home care staff.
• Continuing Education for home health aides which meets all Medicare requirements for aide in-service education in multiple regional locations across the state.
• Annual two day Administrator's Retreat  for top-level home health administrators.
• Annual Leadership Conference for middle management  personnel.

REPRESENTATION:

• Coordinates home health provider representation with Medicare and Medicaid payors including quarterly meetings.
• Monitors and testifies on state and national legislation and regulations.
• Maintains a Kentucky-registered Legislative Agent and files required reports on activity.
• Coordinates membership information  by "fax broadcast" and "list-serve" to enable rapid information sharing as needed.
• Represents home care on various state and regional boards on aging, health and  home care issues.

KENTUCKY HOME HEALTH ASSOCIATION, INC.
STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES

KHHA Bylaws identify three Standing Committees which shall be the Executive Committee, Finance Committee and Nominating Committee.  Special Committees may be appointed by the Board whenever necessary.  Special Committees may be appointed by the Board whenever necessary.  Special Committees shall be composed at a minimum of five Association members, at least one of which is a member of the Board.  Such Committees will be dissolved when their purpose has been achieved.

CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR NURSES COMMITTEE

OBJECTIVES:

• Serve as the Association's planning body for continuing education for nurses. 
• Guide the Association's educational program to ensure that offerings providing CEU's for nurses meet KBN requirements.
• Conduct educational needs assessment. 
• Develop a strategy for the on-going CE program which will generate the needed financial base to support this function.

CONFERENCE PLANNING COMMITTEE

OBJECTIVES:

• Develop conference theme.
• Identify workshop topics and recruit speakers.
• Plan activities/special events.
• Recruit volunteers to help with conference.
• Assist with post-conference evaluation. 
• Recruit exhibitors and financial sponsors.

FINANCE AND MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE - Standing Committee

OBJECTIVES:

• Develop membership policies. Develop annual budget.
• Examine and explore opportunities for increasing revenue to support KHHA programs.
• Develop financial management policies.

(Membership is defined by KHHA Bylaws.)

MEDICAID TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE **

** This Committee serves as advisory to the Kentucky Medicaid Advisory Council in accordance with Kentucky Administrative Regulations. Members of the TAC are appointed by KHHA.

OBJECTIVES:

• Identify issues regarding Kentucky Medicaid activities and concerns.
• Collect data as needed to evaluate issues.
• Make recommendations regarding Medicaid policies and programs which impact on home health care providers.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE - Standing Committee.

OBJECTIVES:

• Recruit potential candidates from the membership.
• Select ballot for annual election to include Board members and Nominating Committee in accordance with bylaws.
• Recommend policies and procedures necessary to met bylaw requirements.
• Prepare ballots and background information on candidates.
• Count ballots and report results.
• Conduct installation of new directors at annual meeting.

(Three members are elected by the membership every two years. Two additional members are appointed by the KHHA Board.)

PROMOTIONS COMMITTEE

OBJECTIVES:

• Identify/develop products or services promoting and supporting home health care which could be made available to the membership with minimal expenditure of staff and financial resources, but with potential for generating revenue.
• Assist with revision of Directory of Home Health and Hospice Agencies, including recommendations on major components, recruiting financial sponsors, gathering of information and strategies for distribution.
• Develop and distribute ideas/plans for National Home Care Week and other appropriate celebrations which promote home health care.
• Identify and solicit financial support for Association publications, including newsletter and directory.
• Identify opportunities and develop appropriate articles promoting home health care to general public or selected target groups through publications such as magazines, newsletters, journals.
• Direct implementation of Awards for Excellence in Home Care Program.
• Develop media guide for members.
• Direct the development of public relations plan for the Association.
  
  

REIMBURSEMENT ISSUES COMMITTEE

OBJECTIVES:

• Develop and maintain a process to regularly solicit and receive members' questions and problems relative to Medicare and other third party payors.
• Serve as a clearinghouse for information on new and changing procedures, practices and policies in reimbursement for home health services.
• Devise appropriate guidelines and recommendations to assist members correct and address problems identified.
• Develop process(es) for determining when to intervene on behalf of members and the industry with fiscal intermediaries and/or payors.
• Recommend appropriate policies and action to the KHHA Board of Directors as necessary.
• Identify and recommend delegates from the Committee to represent KHHA at the Medicare Four-State Coalition.

AD HOC SOCIAL WORK ADVISORY GROUP (*This Committee is active only when needed.)

OBJECTIVES:

• Develop and maintain a process to regularly solicit and receive members' questions and problems relative to Medicare and other third party payors.
• Serve as a clearinghouse for information on new and changing procedures, practices and policies in reimbursement for home health services.
• Devise appropriate guidelines and recommendations to assist members correct and address problems identified.
• Develop process(es) for determining when to intervene on behalf of members and the industry with fiscal intermediaries and/or payors.
• Recommend appropriate policies and action to the KHHA Board of Directors as necessary.
• Identify and recommend delegates from the Committee to represent KHHA at the Medicare Four State Coalition.

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE Revised 2004

VISION:  To streamline auditing and quality improvement activities in member home health agencies for improving patient outcomes and agency processes.

OBJECTIVES:

• Collect information on current member practices.
• Identify essential (regulatory-required) activities vs. non-essential (agency-specific) procedures.
• Explore the possibility of developing and providing tools for member use in streamlining quality improvement processes. 

• Educate regulators on regulatory burdens that do not improve patient outcomes.

IV/PHARMACY COMMITTEE

OBJECTIVES:

• Identify clinical, pharmaceutical and management issues and trends related to home infusion therapy.
• Gather, review and summarize data and resource information on clinical, pharamaceutical and management issues related to home infusion services.
• Recommend and assist in planning and implementing educational programming relevant to home infusion related topics.
• Serve as a resource to KHHA members regarding home infusion therapy.
• Identify and monitor legislative and regulatory issues related to the delivery of infusion services in the home.
• Serve as liaison with other organizations and health care professionals involved in delivery of home infusion services.
• Recommend to the KHHA Board, as appropriate or requested, on potential action and/or official positions to support.

PEDIATRIC SERVICES COMMITTEE

OBJECTIVES:

• Identify members' concerns regarding provision of home health care to infants and children.
• Collect and analyze data to document and substantiate source and scope of identified problems.
• Identify strategies for educating target groups on potential of home health care for infants and children.
• Prepare recommendations to appropriate payors regarding coverage and reimbursement for home health services to infants and childen.
• Recommend and assist KHHA CE Committee with identifying educational needs of KHHA members as related to services for infants and children.
  
  

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES COMMITTEE

OBJECTIVES:

• Identify and analyze clinical and administrative issues of significance to behavioral health home care services.
• Gather, analyze and report data regarding behavioral health home care services.
• Develop and/or recommend practice guidelines for behavioral health home care services.
• Recommend and assist in planning and implementing educational programming for KHHA members in behavioral health home care services.
• Gather and/or develop needed resources for members on behavioral health home care services.
• Recommend to the KHHA Board, as appropriate or requested, on potential action and/or official positions to support related to behavioral health home care services.