§ 6305. Review of access, cost, and quality issues; remediation process

(a) The Commissioner shall exercise such duties and responsibilities as shall be necessary for the implementation of this subchapter and for the active, ongoing supervision of the activities of the home health agencies under this subchapter.

(b) In a form and manner and at intervals prescribed by the Commissioner, the Commissioner shall collect and analyze data regarding access to and the cost and quality of home health services in Vermont. Such data shall include: information on complaints, waiting lists, numbers of individuals ineligible for services, numbers of individuals eligible for but not provided services, numbers of patients served under and over 65 years of age, total number of visits and hours provided to patients by each of the existing home health agencies; the results of patient surveys conducted by the home health agencies; data pertaining to federal and State surveys; scoring by any national accrediting organization; charitable and subsidized programs and services for uninsured or low income persons in their respective communities; copies of audited financial statements and annual cost reports; and any other quality measures or data deemed relevant by the Commissioner to monitor and evaluate access to and the cost and quality of home health services by the designated home health agencies.

(c) The Commissioner shall consider the data collected under subsection (b) of this section in undertaking active, ongoing supervision to monitor performance of the designated home health agencies with respect to access, cost, and quality of home health services.

(d) If the Commissioner determines that a home health agency has failed to comply with any performance standards established by the Commissioner related to access, cost, or quality issues in any area of the State, or has violated a rule or provision of this subchapter, the Commissioner may investigate and enforce the provisions of this subchapter pursuant to the authority and procedures conferred upon the Commissioner under chapter 71 of this title as if the home health agency were a nursing home, except that the Commissioner shall adopt by rule penalties specific to home health agencies. (Added 2005, No. 57, § 8, eff. June 13, 2005; amended 2015, No. 11, § 39.)