MDS Alert

Has the resident lost enough weight to code a weight loss?

"Mrs. J has been on a physician ordered calorie-restricted diet for the past year. She and her physician agreed to a plan of weight reduction. Her current weight is 169 lbs. Her weight 30 days ago was 172 lbs. Her weight 180 days ago was 192 lbs," states the RAI manual.

How would you code K0300?

"Code 0, no or unknown: if the resident has not experienced weight loss of 5% or more in the past 30 days or 10% or more in the last 180 days or if information about prior weight is not available."

"Code 1, yes on physician-prescribed weight loss regimen: if the resident has experienced a weight loss of 5% or more in the past 30 days or 10% or more in the last 180 days, and the weight loss was planned and pursuant to a physician's order. In cases where a resident has a weight loss of 5% or more in 30 days or 10% or more in 180 days as a result of any physician ordered diet plan or expected weight loss due to loss of fluid with physician orders for diuretics, K0300 can be coded as 1."

"Code 2, yes, not on physician-prescribed weight-loss regimen: if the resident has experienced a weight loss of 5% or more in the past 30 days or 10% or more in the last 180 days, and the weight loss was not planned and prescribed by a physician."

Source: Printed verbatim from the RAI User's Manual, October 2011 version (V1.07).

Answer: "Coding: K0300 would be coded 1, yes, on physician-prescribed weight-loss regimen," states the RAI manual.

1. 30-day calculation: 172 x 0.95 = 163.4. Since the resident's current weight of 169 lbs is more than 163.4 lbs, which is the 5% point, she has not lost 5% body weight in the last 30 days.

2. 180-day calculation: 192 x .90 = 172.8. Since the resident's current weight of 169 lbs is less than 172.8 lbs, which is the 10% point, she has lost 10% or more of body weight in the last 180 days."

Source: Printed verbatim from the RAI User's Manual, October 2011 version (V1.07).