PDPM lowered therapy minutes but not outcomes, study shows
By
James M. Berklan
Jan 12, 2022
Skilled nursing patients received about 13% fewer therapy minutes after the onset of the Patient-Driven Payment Model in October 2019 but that did not hurt outcomes or rehospitalization rates, researchers...
Latest MDS update could leave providers in ‘limbo,’ expert says
By
Danielle Brown
May 19, 2020
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has updated MDS 3.0 items (version 1.17.2) along with related technical data specifications. But providers could be left in “limbo” as they await for more...
Are your Ultra High RUGs putting you at risk?
By
Steven Littlehale
Feb 22, 2016
The 2016 Office of Inspector General work plan calls for increased scrutiny of the Ultra High therapy billing category because the amount of this therapy delivered has increased over time, despite resident...
Ask the payment expert … about MDS
Mar 04, 2015
The state may be using the MDS data and RUG levels to determine the “expected staffing” that compares the staffing levels to the RUGs levels.
Entitlement or over utilization?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Oct 07, 2014
Many of our therapy patients are medically complex and we, unfortunately, are not able to predict the future, as it sometimes seems that regulators want us to do.
No more Rehab Medium RUG defaults
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Oct 08, 2013
Well, Oct. 1 has passed, and we’re all still hanging in. The biggest changes we saw to rehab were the addition of reporting co-treatment minutes on our billing logs and Section O on the MDS. And,...
What’s on Your PEPPER Report?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Sep 10, 2013
Have you received your provider-specific PEPPER report yet? The Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER) were mailed on August 30 and have been slowly arriving at skilled nursing...
Are you prepared? 5 questions you need to know the answers to
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Aug 27, 2013
With all the recent regulatory changes that have come down the line, or are about to, we developed a simple five-question survey that each provider had to ask every therapy employee. If you can develop...
The three C’s are the key!
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Mar 26, 2013
How do you justify the reason for rehab, length of stay and intensity of treatment? You turn to the 3 C’s.
Changes to MDS 3.0, RUGs the focus of free Sept. 11 Super Tuesday webcast
By
McKnight's Staff
Sep 04, 2012
The MDS 3.0 now plays central payment role in long-term care. But new rules and regulations are constantly emerging — and the stakes for providers have never been higher. An informative, live, one-hour...