Occupational Therapy

Therapists can co-treat? Why yes, they can!

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L April 19, 2012

Have you heard? Yes, it's true. We can now provide therapy co-treatment with another discipline WITHOUT splitting our treatment time. But, not so fast ...

Are you setting yourself up for success?

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L March 26, 2012

Are you properly capturing set-up time? What on Earth am I talking about? I'm talking about utilizing the regulation as outlined in the Resident Assessment Instrument, version MDS 3.0.

Is this billable time?

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L March 07, 2012

The title sounds like an obvious question, but I can guarantee that the majority of therapists have under billed at some point in their career.

Increasing length-of-stay

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L January 30, 2012

Length-of-stay — LOS — is one of those management reports that often leaves administrators and upper management bewildered. If you increase LOS, you essentially increase your census.

LTC groups urge Congress to pass a therapy cap extension

December 06, 2011

Congress should extend the therapy caps exception process for medically necessary Medicare Part B outpatient therapy services, several long-term care groups said Tuesday.

Has CMS gone too far?

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L September 27, 2011

Previously, I've explained my position on the new rehab regulation changes to take effect on Saturday (Oct. 1). However, has CMS gone too far this time?

"They don't need rehab, they're too old!" How many times have we heard or even asked this question? Did you know that Regis Philbin turned 80 on August 25? The Dancing with the Stars cast has included Cloris Leachman, age 85, Florence Henderson, age 77, and Buzz Aldrin, age 81. Celebrities are the easiest to spotlight, but many of us have relatives, friends, and neighbors that exceed the norm.

Top therapy reimbursement for everyone: here's how

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L July 18, 2011

If the Ultra High is the highest level of allowable treatment we may seek, it's our professional obligation to clinically provide these levels of service to every patient.

Snowstorm in capital sidelines discussions on therapy caps, Medicare physician pay cut

February 11, 2010

A snowstorm that pummeled the East Coast this week has delayed the Senate's consideration of a jobs bill that would extend the Medicare Part B therapy caps exceptions process and prevent a pay cut for Medicare physicians, according to reports from Washington.