The usefulness of the HCFA form 485 in predicting home healthcare costs.

As prospective pay systems are created, many sources of home care information are being considered. This study examines items on the HCFA Form 485 for their ability to accurately predict home healthcare costs. The researchers deduced that the current information available on the HCFA Form 485 was not useful in anticipating, planning for, and, ultimately, controlling costs.