In my travels and contacts with various IRF providers across the USA (clients and non-clients alike while assisting with compliance audits or gap analysis to IRF conditions of participation), I have noticed something about the uniform bill and the fact that it’s completion in an IRF for Medicare Part A covered patients paid by the IRF PAI is not so “uniform.”…
Read More
TOP
What is the ethical dilemma of a patient reaching a stated goal in rehabilitation, yet not able to complete the discharge due to other areas of the plan of care not yet fulfilled? There are many reasons for this type of scenario to occur; “whether it be due to a family issue, a medical concern, equipment need, etc. – how…
Read More
TOP
If you casually believed that the IRF 2010 Regulations were guidelines and not mandates, you may be placing yourself in harms way. Auditing records consistently, demanding appropriate workflow completion and providing reports and documentation to meet the criteria for your Medicare Part A patients and all others that under contract require you to follow these guidelines are important. There are very few facilities that have money in reserve…
Read More
TOP
Just when we thought we didn’t really have a solution for the Therapy Caps Manual Medical Review, the APTA released a bulletin recently that states CMS has decided how it will manage the 2013 process previously referred to as Manual Medical Review to approve therapy services beyond the Cap. From Oct. 1, 2012 until Dec. 31, 2012, Manual Medical Review required seeking approval…
Read More
TOP
Late last week Amit M (LinkedIn member), posted that a bill to repeal outpatient therapy caps had been discussed on Valentines Day. Wouldn’t that beat all boxed chocolates and a few dozen roses when it comes to gifts on a beloved gift card holiday? I immediately went to the Government Printing Office and searched for all discussions that occurred in the…
Read More
TOP
About two weeks ago, OARF (Ohio Association of Rehabilitation Facilities) sponsored a CARF 2013 update provided by Christine M. MacDonell, Managing Director of the Medical Rehabilitation Accreditation Area of CARF. In this ’2013 New Standards Review’ and discussion of most frequently cited standards and how to comply with intent, Christine brought greater than 30 years of dedicated passion to the art of providing…
Read More
TOP
Somehow 2012 went by quickly and the last we updated the CMS Clarifications on IRF Regulations tool it was mid-July. Since that time there has been several clarifications posted to the CMS website providing further discussion and interpretation from various training calls and submissions to their IRF specialists. Below are three links to those very specific documents; however if you…
Read More
TOP
“To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the health care system, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), Public Law 104-191, included Administrative Simplification provisions,” reported on the Health and Human Services website. In warped speed, let me refresh the last 17 years and what has been accomplished with the various publications and rules set toward this Administrative Simplification…
Read More
TOP
We started the MediServe Blog Feb. 1, 2011. We developed lists for needed content, discussion points and various items we should discuss within content. Then we created the dreaded ‘quota.’ By all other definitions quota is the established number one must perform to meet the specified objective! OK, too technical; it was the minimum number we should complete so there…
Read More
TOP
09
Jan
Utilization of Affordable Care Act Entitlements State by State; Wellness and Prescription Coverage
If you sign up for Medicare & Medicaid email updates, you will now and again get a message from Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to your preferred mailbox. I chose to do so because it’s easier than looking for new information. Delivered recently to my inbox was an updated message that more than five billion dollars has been saved…
Read More
TOP
