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OASIS Alert

Prospective Payment System:
Surprise: For Once It's OK To Use The Wrong Date
Prepare to discard old OASIS forms. Get ready for assessment chaos in the last five days ... Read more
Education:
OASIS Doesn't Capture All Emergent Care
Don't create adverse events unnecessarily. Scenario: The therapist made the last home vis... Read more
Training:
Have Your M0110 System Ready To Go Before Jan. 1.
Maximize your OASIS accuracy with individual training. Don't wait until the new PPS rule ... Read more
OASIS Update:
Look Beyond The Final Rule For Crucial PPS Information
These 2 key items may surprise you. You may not find the prospective payment system group... Read more
Resources:
Here's How To Find Your HHA's Early Holiday Gifts
CMS releases a flood of information -- including some on your wish list. It's time to thr... Read more
Outcomes:
Voluntary Single Visit OASIS Assessments Can Hurt You
Distinguish between OASIS and comprehensive assessments. You may be increasing your rate ... Read more
Assessment:
Don't Let Resistant Clinicians Undermine Your Agency's Future
Address 3 common staff misunderstandings before it's too late. After seven years of revis... Read more
OBQI:
Is Crisis Management Clouding Your Outcomes Improvement?
Case study shows that you shouldn't overlook PT's role in wound outcomes. If you try to s... Read more
OBQI:
Is Crisis Management Clouding Your Outcomes Improvement?
Case study shows that you shouldn't overlook PT's role in wound outcomes. If you try to s... Read more
OASIS News:
Location, Location, Location May Apply To Hospitalization Rates
HHAs in many states face an uphill battle.   You may have to overcome many fact... Read more
OASIS Update:
At Last The New OASIS Form Has Arrived
Start preparing your staff and clinicians now for the M0 item changes. With agencies cou... Read more
Test Your OASIS Savvy ...
Question: Your audit of a start of care assessment shows a manifestation code listed as t... Read more
Reimbursement:
OASIS Accuracy Can Make Or Break Your Agency In 2008
Start adapting to the new reimbursement system now with these 3 tips. You can't avoid the... Read more
Case Mix:
Become Familiar With The New Case Mix Diagnoses
The Centers for Medicare & Medi-caid Services' final rule on the prospective payment s... Read more
Compliance:
Avoid Diabetes/CHF Edit Snags
Once in the edit trap, the whole record is up for grabs. Running afoul of edits means you... Read more
Clip & Save:
Test Your Diagnosis Choice Against This Muscle Weakness Chart
Is muscle weakness the right diagnosis? These questions will guide your answer. Patient's... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Clinician And Coder Collaboration Is Crucial To PPS Success
Without the correct words, the coder is left in the lurch. Whether your clinicians do the... Read more
Education:
Is This M0230 Coding Change Important Or Just Technical?
Knowing the difference can keep you out of survey trouble. Question: Your audit of a star... Read more
Inservice:
Get Up To Speed On New PPS Rules With Staff Training
Massive changes are heading your way. Get the latest information on the PPS final rule w... Read more
CMS Finally Moves One Step Closer To Replacing ICD-9 Codes
ICD-10 impact analysis begins. The U.S. lags behind the rest of the international communi... Read more
Survey Request:
Here's How To Get The OASIS Information You Need Most
One lucky survey contributor will win a $25 Amazon.com gift card. We need your input to b... Read more
OASIS Tool Due For Extreme Makeover
Start noting your comments so you're ready to give feedback If you think the new PPS fina... Read more
Reimbursement:
Get Ready: New Payment Diagnosis Codes Don't Always Pay
OASIS answers affect case mix points. OASIS items will be even more important to episode ... Read more
Inservice:
New PPS Starts Jan. 1: Use The Next 2 Months To Prepare
Plan now for the immediate training your staff needs. Here’s where to get the la... Read more
Post-Acute Assessment Reform Demo Looking For You
Get a sneak peak at potential post-OASIS tool. A project that may result in a substitute ... Read more
Therapy:
Pin Down Reimbursement Numbers For Therapy -- Here's How
Use this chart to predict M0826 impact on cash flow. If you're ready for the financial i... Read more
Education:
Understand What M0390 Actually Measures
You don't need to be an optician for this M0 item. Question: When evaluating a patient's ... Read more
Survey Request:
Here's How To Get The OASIS Information You Need Most
One lucky survey contributor will win a $25 Amazon.com gift card. We need your input to ... Read more
OASIS News:
Open Door Forum Leaves Agencies Up In The Air
Do your clinicians know about the M0460 change effective immediately? Agencies wondering... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
t's Time To Swallow New Dysphagia Codes
More specificity required for speech therapy When you code for a patient with stroke-rela... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
Get Ready For Another Home Care PPS
First wave of OASIS changes begin. Expect huge changes for your agency now that the Cent... Read more
Training:
How To Focus Your PPS Training Dollars
Go well beyond the basics. Are you wondering where to begin training your staff for the ... Read more
M0110:
Expect Headaches From Episode Timing Question
New 'early/later' question may stump clinicians. Discovering prior patient history will ... Read more
Inservice:
Audioconference Training Opportunities
Get started with these expert PPS planning and training programs.   Agencies th... Read more
Reimbursement:
Report Non-Routine Supplies Or Risk Cash Flow Delays
CMS gives with one hand and takes away with the other. Answers you report on your OASIS ... Read more
Assessment:
Here's How To Make The Most Of Your NRS Reimbursement
5 tips for saving on supplies costs. Focusing on wound assessment can finally help ... Read more
Compliance:
Keep Up With Monitoring M0175 -- Because The Feds Will
Beware a pattern of errors waving a red flag. M0175 won't affect payment under the 2008 ... Read more
OASIS News:
Prepare Now To Serve More Post-Acute Patients
It's not your imagination that more patients have gait abnormalities as a primary diagnos... Read more
Assessment:
OASIS May Become Part Of Unified Post-Acute Assessment Tool
Phase II testing is beginning soon. A new demonstration project will pit home care... Read more
Education:
New OASIS Pressure Ulcer Q&A Relieves Months Of Confusion
NPUAP guidance prevails. Question: Are you allowed to stage a pressure ulcer for M0450 (C... Read more
Assessment:
Don't Let 6 Become The New 10 In Home Care Therapy
‘Show me’ is about to be even more important in OASIS assessments.   ... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
Here's How To Cut Through The New Service Score Complexity
These equations don't require algebra. Take this math refresher to understand the reimbu... Read more
Reimbursement:
Tally Your Potential Therapy Episode Pay
The upcoming changes to PPS will hit some agencies hard. Looking at how the new prospect... Read more
Quality Improvement:
National Campaign Results Don't Show Up On Home Health Compare
Use the data to check your local agencies. Three Home Health Compare measures show impro... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
3 Steps Take The Guesswork Out Of Dementia Coding
Alzheimer's disease is only one possibility. Getting patient-specific information may be ... Read more
OASIS News:
P4P Demo Set For October
New OASIS Q&As available. The July 18 Home Health, Hospice and Durable Medical Equip... Read more
Reader Question:
Faster Data Expectations Remain Unmet
Agencies are stuck with time lag one year later. Question: We thought that once the OASI... Read more
OASIS Clarifications ~ 36 New Questions Available To Clarify OASIS M0 Items
Q&A corrects error in revised M0030 language. If you think the place to find new clar... Read more
Test Your OASIS Savvy ...
Question: Now that agencies are required to use their National Provider Identifier (NPI) n... Read more
Questions Arise Over Location Of OASIS Q&A Release
Several OASIS Alert readers questioned why these clarifications weren't announced on the C... Read more
Perspective Payment System ~ Be Sure You're Ready When Functional Domain Changes Hit
The days of the easily calculated OASIS points are about to end. Don't be fooled by the si... Read more
Therapy ~ Say Goodbye To M0825
Start teaching staff how to predict therapy visits more accurately.The good news is you wo... Read more
Assessment ~ Delve Into Delirium To Show Improvement In M0560
Your OASIS assessment may identify the cause. When the answer to M0560 (Cognitive function... Read more
Diagnosis Coding ~ Find Correct M0230/M0240 Codes Fast With These Expert Tips
If you stop reading too soon, you can expect your code to be wrong. If you're tired of loc... Read more
OASIS News ~ Post OASIS Assessment Tool Soon To Test
The Centers for Medicare & Med-icaid Services will soon test a patient assessment tool... Read more
Reader Question ~ For This Coding Denial, Primary Diagnosis Doesn't Matter
Document testing if you want to get paid. Question: We recently admitted an elderly patien... Read more
Prospective Payment System:
ARE YOU READY FOR AN ENTIRELY NEW REIMBURSEMENT SYSTEM?
Don't just complain, comment -- by June 26.It may not seem like PPS and OASIS have been ve... Read more
OASIS Update:
5 IMPORTANT OASIS CHANGES WILL CHALLENGE YOUR STAFF
Expect payment diagnoses to become much more complex."Early" and "later" will have new mea... Read more
Reimbursement:
TEST EPISODE PROFITABILITY UNDER THE PROPOSED CASE MIX CHANGES
Use this chart to see if you'll be a winner or loser under the new PPS.If math wasn't your... Read more
Case Mix Diagnoses:
PROPOSED RULE MULTIPLIES CASE MIX DIAGNOSES
Instead of the current four case mix diagnosis groups, look for these 20 soon:• Blindnes... Read more
Clip and Save:
MEDICARE HH PPS RATES BY HHRG CODE, NRS LEVEL & LUPA CATEGORY
Proposed to be effective Jan. 1, 2008.... Read more
HHRG:
RESOURCE GROUPS NEARLY DOUBLE
Current "losers" may soon be "winners."Home health agencies will need to scramble to under... Read more
Education:
WATCH THOSE CORRECTIVE LENSES
The right answer can mean 6 points in the clinical domain.Question: When answering M0390, ... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
GET READY TO TEAR UP YOUR CASE MIX DIAGNOSIS CHEAT SHEET
Home health coding is about to get much more complicated.If your agency doesn't have a cod... Read more
OASIS News:
MORE OASIS CHANGES IN THE WORKS
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) is currently working to identify "all ne... Read more
Outcomes:
Carve A Path Through The Information Overload
Deluge of advice overwhelms agencies.It's easy to feel overwhelmed when you compare the vo... Read more
Reimbursement:
Clean Up OASIS Data Gathering
OASIS errors can cost you thousands of dollars.No matter how long pay for performance take... Read more
Assessment:
5 Common Errors You Can Avoid By Reading Questions Carefully
Don't throw points -- and dollars -- away.Unless your agency is rolling in dough... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
3 Simple Things You Need To Know About E Codes
Tip: Toxicity isn't the same as poisoning.Many clinicians and coders think you don't have ... Read more
Clip & Save:
Focus First On 4 Important Interventions
Here's what the most successful agencies do.Sample Home Health Agency Protocol Interventio... Read more
Education:
Make Your Resumption of Care Visit Timely
Question: When does a resumption of care visit need to be completed?    A) ... Read more
OASIS News:
Major PPS Changes Are Just Around The Corner
Expect stress and confusion come May.The guessing game about what will b?e included in the... Read more
Reader Question:
So What Is A Skin Lesion?
If M0440 is "no," look again.Question: What is the best way to answer M0440? Some of our n... Read more
Reimbursement:
AUDIT FOR OASIS ACCURACY TO GET THE MONEY YOU EARNED
You're almost certainly leaving reimbursement dollars on the table.Could you think of ways... Read more
Compliance:
USE THE AUDIT PROCESS TO DETERMINE TRAINING NEEDS
Experts offer 5 audit tips.Misunderstanding key OASIS items can quickly drain your coffers... Read more
Audits:
CASE CONFERENCE AUDITS CAN SAVE TIME AND MONEY
Try this new way to audit OASIS.If you think an audit has to be done alone in a chart room... Read more
Assessment:
STOP THROWING MONEY AWAY ON THESE TWO OASIS ITEMS
Can your clinicians correctly count to 14? Your OASIS assessments are probably making ... Read more
Training:
HHQI NATIONAL CAMPAIGN RELEASES FIRST TRAINING PACKAGE
Look for the timesaving physician notification form.There's no excuse now for not tackling... Read more
Education:
SUPPORT YOUR CARE OR FACE DENIALS
Question: Which of the following problems underlies three of the top five claims denial re... Read more
Inservice Education:
PLAN AHEAD TO MEET STAFF EDUCATION NEEDS
Four upcoming Eli-sponsored audio conferences will educate, inform and encourage. For... Read more
OASIS News:
OIG LOOKS AT OASIS ASSESSMENTS
In March 8 testimony before the House Committee on Ways and Means, HHS Inspector General, ... Read more
Reader Question:
PREPARE TO KEEP UP WITH TWO PROVIDER NUMBERS
Deadline is near, but instructions are missing.Question: Now that my agency has its Nation... Read more
Outcomes:
Pay For Performance Is Here
One missed referral can cost you $1,000.If you think the most important aspect of pay for ... Read more
Assessment:
Don't Waste Your Training Dollars On The Wrong Problem
Poor assessments cheat you, not the feds. Inaccurate OASIS assessments lead to less paymen... Read more
OASIS Reports:
Promote Ownership Of Results With Branch-Specific Reports
New CMS Tally template tool now required.At last individual branches can't blame the other... Read more
Diagnosis Coding:
Know Your Neoplasm Terminology
There's more to tumors than malignant and benign.In choosing diagnosis coding for M0230 an... Read more
Compliance:
High Cost Therapy Continues To Attract FI's Attention
Affected therapists and agencies will face confusing CPT codes. You probably thought the c... Read more
M0 Accuracy:
Clinicians Let M0610
Hint: These questions address different aspects of behavior problems. Misunderstanding beh... Read more
Education:
Clearly Define Change For M0200 Accuracy
Don't forget the day of assessment. Question: When you answer M0200 (Medical or treatment ... Read more
OASIS News Jumpstart Acute Hospitalization Reduction Efforts With New Resources
Don't let your competitors get ahead of you. If you're not addressing acute care hospitali... Read more
Reader Question:
Does It Matter Whether A Device Functions?
Here's another surgical wound dilemma.Question: We admitted a patient with a venous access... Read more
THERAPY ~ 5 Questions Help You Prepare Now For M0825 Audits
Don't hand the money back if you earned it. If medical reviewers can deny enough therapy v... Read more
OUTCOMES ~ Prepare For P4P Success Before It's Too Late
Are you focusing too much on start of care assessments? Pay for performance will be tied t... Read more
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ~ Find The Tool You Need With The Click Of A Mouse
Follow these leads to save effort and money. The focus on OASIS items proposed to be incl... Read more
ASSESSMENT ~ Dodge These Care Transition Dilemmas
Use these 5 scenarios to do the right assessment every time. When hospitalization and rece... Read more
CLIP & SAVE ~ Ready-Made Tools Help Decrease Hospitalization
Don't wait until you have time to make your own screening tool. Try this one. ASSESSMENT O... Read more
EDUCATION ~ Do You Know When A C-PAP Counts?
Hint: That depends on how it's used. Question: Using the July 2006 OASIS clarification the... Read more
DIAGNOSIS CODING ~ Select V Codes The Right Way
There’s more to V codes than V57.1. Learn about V codes before you’re unde... Read more
OASIS NEWS ~ Quarterly Home Health Compare Update Disappointing
Focus on acute care hospitalization intensifies. The December update to the Home Health Co... Read more
READER QUESTION ~ Antidepressant Medication Could Be Successful
Determine what time period you are assessing. Question: How do we answer OASIS item M0590... Read more
REIMBURSEMENT ~ P4P Demo Design Details Raise Many Questions
Demonstration proposes using eight OASIS-based performance measures.  Agencies soon w... Read more
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT ~ P4P Prosperity Requires OASIS Success
Surgical wound status could become more important. Here is your chance to profit from all ... Read more
COMPLIANCE ~ Reduce Medication Error Risks With This Strategy
Bonus: Improve outcomes at the same time. Omitting an accurate medication review in your O... Read more
CLIP & SAVE ~ Improve Medication Management With This Patient Tip Sheet
Adapt this sample form for your agency. What You Need to Know about Medication Errors A Fa... Read more
CASE STUDY ~ Cut Unplanned Hospitalizations:
Focus On What You Control
Consistency -- not dollars spent -- made the difference. Would you like to reduc... Read more
DIAGNOSIS CODING ~ Mental Status Codes Can Support Reimbursement
But beware of overuse. A confused patient -- especially an elderly one -- could ... Read more
Test Your OASIS Savvy ... ~ Ostomy Or Exit Wound -- The Difference Matters
Question: Is a peritoneal dialysis catheter site considered a skin lesion for M0440 and th... Read more
OASIS NEWS ~ MedPAC Predicts Good Times For HHAs
In its Dec. 6th and 7th meeting, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission continued its at... Read more
READER QUESTION ~ When Does A Surgical Wound Become A Scar?
Question: How do we know when a surgical wound goes from "fully granulating" to "healed" a... Read more
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