A patient develops osteomyelitis and has to have her fingers amputated. Walk through this sample scenario to practice your coding skills.
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There are 16 general OASIS conventions. Watch this video blog to learn about conventions 13-16.
Click here to print this tip!
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Walk through this sample scenario to practice your coding skills.
Click here to print this tip!
]]>There are 16 general OASIS conventions. Watch this video blog to learn about conventions 5-8.
Click here to print this tip!
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1. Home health agencies will see a base episode rate for 2012 which is a bit higher than expected. The proposed rate was expected to be $2112.37 but is now $2138.52 because CMS approved NAHC's recommendation to phase in the 3.79% case-mix creep adjustment for 2012 and reserve 1.32% for 2013.
2. The Face-To-Face rule now allows the inpatient or the post-acute facility physician to do the face-to-face encounter and "report off" to the community physician who will complete the F2F documentation and the POC.
3. CMS finalized significant changes in coding weights by eliminating hypertension as a factor in the calculation, reducing the weights on therapy episodes (5% reduction on 14+ visit episodes and 10% reduction on 20+ visit episodes), and increasing weights on non-therapy episodes.
4. CMS has maintained their position that failure to report HH-CAHPS® information will be linked to HH PPS rate update for CY 2012.
Click link for the complete final rule: http://www.ppsplus.com/images/static/handouts/2012_cms_final_rule.pdf
Final Rule Webinar Scheduled for Dec. 5
Check our events page to register today. Jennifer Warfield will explain, in detail, the changes being made and what your agency needs to do to be in compliance.
Even though home health will soon be converting to ICD-10-CM, there are still some significant changes for 2012 that went into effect on Oct. 1, 2011. Watch this video blog for information on the change to coding dimentia and wandering.
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]]>There are 16 general OASIS conventions. Watch this video blog to learn about conventions 1-4.
]]>Dear Reader,
Home Health Strategic Management is offering a free webinar regarding the spotlight on therapy relating to reforms, audits, and the Senate Finance Committee's report on abusive therapy practices from the top publicly traded homecare providers. The result of the Senate findings, released earlier this week after a year-long investigation of concerns raised by the April 2010 Wall Street Journal on therapy billing trends, highlights the subjective approach employed in the creation and delivery of therapy care. Home Health providers are right to be concerned that audits of their therapy platforms and practices may soon follow.
HHSM, clinical leaders in the recent utilization and audit scrutiny seen across the industry, will provide insight into the findings of the Committee that will be relevant to all providers and clinicians in an free emergency webinar next week. Arnie Cisneros, P.T., HHSM President and the most progressive voice in Home Health, will explain the CMS and Med Pac concerns revolving around therapy, and outline areas of concern regarding the wholesale re-wiring of rehab in the evolving PPS model. In addition, the practices identified in the Senate report will be reviewed to help identify areas where you or your clinicians may be vulnerable.
Do you have over-utilization concerns regarding your therapy programs? Are the inclusion and volumes of rehab present in your episodic claims defensible by current and future standards? Have you relinquished control of therapy content and lengths of stay to your employed or contracted rehab professionals? Or are you making the same mistakes of many providers in employing convenient rationale to support care; the exact type of care now in the crosshairs of auditors, reform-minded regulatory bodies, and program safeguard contractors? It is important to remember that fraud and abuse are not the only concerns: waste and in-efficiency are also targeted, and these exist in all agencies in some shape or form.
The 60 minute webinar will be held Thursday, October 13th, 1:00 - 2:00 pm Eastern Standard Time (additional times will be offered if necessary). It will be free to all HHSM Newsletter subscribers, HHSM sponsor clientele, and members of your state association. Your use and support of the HHSM message has led us to extend this invitation to your association and members to join us in this exciting and necessary event.
Enrollment details are listed below. Feel free to include as many staff members as possible for this important information regarding your exposure to audits and denials in your therapy claims.
To register for the webinar, please click here.
©2011 Arnie Cisneros, PT. All rights reserved.
About the author:
Arnie Cisneros, PT, president of Home Health Strategic Management, has provided clinical services, program development and management consultation in the areas of geriatric rehab, sports medicine and home health since 1979. His clinical background is primarily orthopedic based from his tenure with The Ohio State University SportsMedicine Department. He is renowned for his adaptation of traditional care philosophies to address current and future healthcare initiatives. His status as a currently practicing clinician provides a working level insight into program development and care consultation needs for Home Health providers. He authors "Home Health Forum", a bi-weekly column addressing contemporary homecare issues and is a contributor to "The Remington Report", Caring, and Decision Health publications. He presents nationally on homecare topics including S.U.R.C.H. - UR for Home health, OBQI Case Conference, and PPS/P4P strategies.
In the second edition of Tips, Tricks & Tidbits for Home
Health Professionals, Jennifer Warfield, RN, BSN, HCS-D, COS-C, expands on the
clinical and ICD-9-CM coding knowledge that she shared in the first.
The new book includes everything you loved from the first edition and even more
helpful home health tips to get you through another year in the industry. From
updated coding scenarios and an overview of the 2012 Final Rule to a chapter on
wound classifications and a V code reference guide, you'll want to make sure
this book is handy whenever and wherever you code your patients.
Tips, Tricks & Tidbits for Home Health Professionals, 2nd Ed. will be available for purchase
beginning October 3, 2011!
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Watch this OASIS tip for four important things to remember in order to answer this item accurately.
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