Online resource packed with regulatory news and expert guidance, tips & tools pertinent to professionals across the post-acute care continuum.
Q: In order to code Section J1400 of the MDS “yes”, does the facility need documentation from the physician or hospice stating the resident has a life expectancy of less than six months or is just being on hospice sufficient? A: The facility needs documentation from the physician, not the hospice that a resident has a […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released a revised version of the MDS 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) User’s Manual. Let’s take an in-depth look at the changes, which were fairly minimal, according to Diane Brown, BA, director of postacute education at HCPro, Inc. The changes (which are underlined) were mostly clarifications […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently released the RAI Manual v1.10 Replacement Manual Pages and Change Tables and the RAI Manual v1.10 and Change Tables. MDS 3.0 RAI Manual v1.10 Appendix B was also updated. The updated MDS 3.0 RAI Manual v1.10 was effective May 8, 2013. This version of the MDS […]
Q: Is it appropriate for a resident to have access to a visual cue (ie: a calendar) during the Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) assessment? It seems to me that the purpose of the assessment is to identify any deficits, even mild deficits the resident may be masking. The MDS 2.0 User’s Manual indicates avoiding […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a proposed rule that would update the payment rates used under the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for 2014. This rule also includes a proposed new item for the MDS Version 3.0. CMS will add MDS item O0420 Distinct Calendar Days […]
On Wednesday, CMS released a proposed rule that would update the payment rates used under the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for 2014. According to CMS, aggregate payments to SNFs will increase by $500 million, or 1.4 percent, from payments in 2013. This estimated increase is attributable to the 2.3 percent […]
CMS is revising the MDS correction policy outlined in Chapter 5 of the MDS 3.0 RAI manual. This revision is effective May 19, 2013. Prior to May 19, 2013, an inactivation request was required to address errors in the following items: A0200: Type of Provider A0310: Type of Assessment A1600: Entry Date (on Entry tracking […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a proposed rule that would update the payment rates used under the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for 2014 and would revise and rebase the SNF market basket. This proposed rule also includes a proposed policy for reporting the SNF market […]
Q: We are having a large debate about care planning in our facility. Some people believe the basis of the care plan is to identify the resident’s care problems and plan actions, implement steps to care for those problems, and establish assessment dates, and then put MDS into the care plan. On the other side […]
Q: Can a long term dialysis patient, who was in a skilled facility for rehab and then discharged home, have a new 100-day benefit period if she was not in a SNF or in the hospital for at least 60 consecutive days, even though she did continue to receive dialysis while at home? A: If […]