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Therapy

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.

SNFs focused on individual therapy, new government report reveals

January 27, 2012

Skilled nursing facilities are almost exclusively putting residents in individual therapy, a new report from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid says.

Happy holidays: 'tis the season for more rehab work

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L December 08, 2011

It's that time of year again, the when our hospitals and nursing facilities start to fill up with patients suffering from new fractures, falls, pneumonia and other cardio-pulmonary diseases. However, have we ever thought to provide additional therapy services to our residents (and their family members) who plan to go out for the holidays?

Here's how you can effectively schedule rehab

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L November 14, 2011

When the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implemented its latest rounds of new and stricter regulations, the groan was heard throughout nursing homes across the country. But, I have good news: It is possible to keep an efficient schedule and here's how ...

We have lives, too!

Teri Weiman, SSD-AD November 10, 2011

Fellow co-workers in skilled nursing facilities, assisted living and elderly care settings, take note: We have lives, too!

Providers say phased-in Medicare cuts would soften final payment rule damage, slow nursing home worker layoffs

November 09, 2011

Congress could stave off the predicted loss of 20,000 nursing home jobs by enacting a phased-in funding regulation over three years, according to one provider group.

How to make your nursing facility RAC-ready

Bryan Baird November 08, 2011

As skilled nursing facilities adjust to the changes to Medicare that arrived early last month, they must be ready for Recovery Audit Contractors. RACs are independent auditors for the government that are preparing to audit every facility that has submitted Medicare claims.

How to avoid end-of-therapy pitfalls

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L October 28, 2011

You are not required to offer therapy services on weekends under new MDS 3.0 changes instituted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. But you do have to be careful if you don't.

CMS: Count on lower reimbursement levels, tougher scrutiny of provider billing practices

October 18, 2011

Providers at a special healthcare policy forum in Washington received a sobering evaluation Monday for why they were hit with an average 11.1% cut in Medicare reimbursement starting Oct. 1. A top long-term care official with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services systematically rejected common complaints and excuses regarding the $4 billion take-back by the federal government.

MDS 3.0 webcast: The first week with changes ... what do we do now?

October 06, 2011

Nursing home administrators must be absolutely certain their billing department staff and MDS coordinators are up to speed on the newly implemented PPS rules for therapy. That is one of the central messages that came through at a special McKnight's webcast Oct. 5 that focused on changes to MDS 3.0 and nursing home payment systems. A rebroadcast of the extremely popular hourlong session is attainable in the mcknights.com archive. Interested individuals simply must re-enter the sign-in environment or complete the free registration for the first time.

Nursing homes must be on top of MDS changes, expert says

September 14, 2011

Nursing home operators need to make sure their MDS coordinators are paying close attention to the changes to the prospective payment system, an expert said yesterday during the last 2011 McKnight's Super Tuesday webinar.

CMS to cover behavioral therapy for obesity

September 07, 2011

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has proposed covering intensive behavioral therapy for obese individuals enrolled in Medicare Part A or Part B.

How old is too old?

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L September 06, 2011

"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.

CMS did more than 'just' cut Medicare pay by 11.1%

Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L August 19, 2011

Have you started your COT trending analysis? On Aug. 8, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released the final ruling and commentary for the new implementation of the MDS changes set to take effect on Oct. 1. Of these many changes, I believe the most significant will be with the Change of Therapy OMRA.

Nursing homes merit greater attention in debate about deficit reduction

Mark Gloth, D.O. August 01, 2011

As President Obama and Congress continue to evaluate a multitude of different ways to reduce Medicare spending, it is more important than ever for lawmakers to understand the critical role nursing homes play in providing the specialized care and therapy vital to patient rehabilitation, and central to avoiding costly rehospitalizations.

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.

Will music improve MDS 3.0 scores?

Dan Cohen, MSW June 22, 2011

Using iPods to reconnect long-term care residents with their favorite music is a simple intervention with great upside potential and no side effects. They're an inexpensive tool that can have a positive impact on resident quality of life, which, in turn, should be reflected in an important subset of MDS 3.0 scores.

Care transitions becoming more crucial

James M. Berklan June 17, 2011

It seems the Hebrew Rehabilitation Center in Boston ought to be getting a lot more attention from its peers. The center has successfully implemented a multi-pronged approach to lower rehospitalizations.

A reason to hide

James M. Berklan February 17, 2011

Given recent flaps about hospice care in nursing homes, one has to wonder if long-term care providers are always going to be subjected to the "one step forward, one step back" syndrome.

For-profit nursing homes more likely than nonprofits to bill for higher-paying RUG levels, report finds

December 24, 2010

For-profit nursing homes may be overbilling Medicare for the costliest services, a report released Thursday by the Office of Inspector General suggests.

AHCA disagrees with CMS decision to implement new multiple procedure payment reduction rule

November 04, 2010

The American Health Care Association spoke out this week after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services said it is implementing a new payment reduction policy for therapy services because of a "duplication in the practice expense when therapy services are furnished together."

Nursing home alliance to release report on value of therapy services

September 24, 2010

The Alliance for Quality Nursing Home Care is expected to release a report on the value of therapy services in the skilled nursing sector during the coming week. Among other things, the report will detail outcomes data and give perspective into statistics with regard to care levels, according to William M. Altman, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Public Policy at Kindred Healthcare. He spoke during a panel presentation Thursday at the annual meeting of the National Investment Center for the Seniors Housing and Care Industry in Chicago.

Lighter weights may be just as effective as heavier ones in growing muscle, research finds

August 12, 2010

The key to building muscle mass is achieving muscle fatigue, not necessarily lifting the heaviest weight, according to new research that could have implications for senior therapy providers.

A new hit to therapy providers

Liza Berger July 09, 2010

Another proposed rehab rule threatens to cut significant revenues from long-term care providers.

Doc pay fix temporary resolves nursing home therapy reimbursement rates

June 30, 2010

The recent temporary physician pay fix also decides certain nursing home therapy reimbursement rates.

CMS conference call Wednesday to focus on RUG-IV, MDS 3.0

June 21, 2010

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host a conference call Wednesday to discuss the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System Resource Utilization Group-Version 4 (RUG-IV).

Report: Nursing home therapy reimbursement under review as reform law toughens up

March 30, 2010

Healthcare analysts at the Department of Health and Human Services are re-evaluating Medicare's "ultra-high" billing category for therapy services in skilled nursing facilities as a potential way to reduce wasteful spending, according to a Washington Post report.

Clendenin to retire from NASL

March 15, 2010

Peter C. Clendenin, executive vice president of the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care, disclosed on Friday he will retire. A replacement has not yet been named.

Apply outcomes measurement to therapy services

Bill Goulding March 09, 2010

Outcomes measurement is a powerful tool that can help demonstrate the quality of therapy your long-term care facility is providing. Why not give it a try?

Sun Healthcare reports solid fourth-quarter, annual growth

March 05, 2010

Sun Healthcare on Wednesday reported "respectable" earnings growth of 7.7% for the fourth quarter of last year and 18.3% for 2009 overall. The nation's sixth-largest skilled nursing provider said Medicare payments for higher acuity residents, as well as upticks in its affiliated hospice and therapy businesses, drove results.