The onset of the Medicare prospective payment system has triggered new home health incentives and pressures that could encourage home health agencies to "cherry-pick" patients for admission and result in early discharge. Hospice faces a similar environment as the reimbursement system is poorly equipped to address all the needs of today's hospice patient. As a result, patient complaints and subsequent lawsuits have grown with accusations that providers are in violation of various civil rights laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act in admission and discharge practices. This program covers the responsibilities of home care and hospice under those laws with a practical approach to compliance and risk management.

Objectives:
1. Identify standards of enforcement under federal and state civil rights laws related to patient admission and discharge.
2. Identify admission and discharge actions that increase risk to home care and hospice organizations for litigation and liability under civil rights laws.
3. Recognize crucial risk management techniques to avoid noncompliance and to address complaints of discriminatory admission and discharge decisions. "