OASIS Alert
DON'T CONFUSE AN OSTOMY WITH A 'TAKE-DOWN' IN M0440
Question: When a gastrostomy is closed as a "take-down" surgical procedure, the patient has a surgical incision to close the bowel, with the remaining gastrostomy skin opening being left to close on its own. How would you answer M0440 and M0482 in this situation?
Answer: The ostomy skin opening that is being allowed to close on its own would be excluded from consideration as a wound or lesion for M0440 and thus could also not be considered a surgical wound, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says in answering question 102 of the OASIS Q&As. But the "take-down" of the ostomy done as a surgical procedure would result in an incision that is both a wound/lesion ("yes" on M0440) and a surgical wound ("yes" on M0482), CMS explains.
Note: To access the OASIS Q&As, go to www.qtso.com/guides/hha/cat4.pdf.
OASIS Alert
- Reimbursement:
M0175 RECOUPMENT PROCESS SUSPENDED
Appeal and collection procedures raise questions.
M0175 adjustments for the first year of the prospective payment [...] - Education:
DON'T CONFUSE AN OSTOMY WITH A 'TAKE-DOWN' IN M0440
Question: When a gastrostomy is closed as a "take-down" surgical procedure, the patient has a [...] - Assessment:
M0250 ERRORS CAN COST YOU $600 PER EPISODE
Understanding the clarifications is crucial for M0250 success.
Checking one of the first three boxes under [...] - Outcomes:
USE OASIS ANSWERS TO GUIDE HOSPICE REFERRALS
Don't avoid the difficult hospice conversation.
Improve outcomes--and provide better patient care--by focusing on your agency's [...] - Compliance:
THERAPY INVESTIGATION TOPS THE OIG'S 'TO DO' LIST
2006 Work Plan targets four home care areas.
If you haven't tightened up your therapy claims, [...] - Quality Improvement:
FEDS CHOOSE YOUR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FOCUS FOR 2006
Expect to work on two assigned OASIS-based measures.
Ready or not, it's time for home health [...] - Diagnosis Coding:
SAFEGUARD YOUR CLAIMS WITH THESE DIABETES TYPE TIPS
Hint: Insulin is not the answer to the type question.
After years as a clinician, you [...] - Reader Question:
GETTING TO THE TOILET IS NOT THE SAME AS A TRANSFER
Question: We have a patient who can safely get to and from the toilet using [...] - OASIS News:
INACCURATE CODING DRAWS WIDESPREAD INTERMEDIARY PROBES
Some primary diagnoses are suspect after the initial episode.
Diagnosis coding errors are coming back to [...]
