OASIS Alert

Seek clinicians' buy-in on this mandatory form.

As if the OASIS discharge assessment wasn't enough for clinicians and patients, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has added an expedited review notice.

Although the new notice - which took effect July 1 - isn't actually part of the OASIS assessment, agencies are required to deliver and explain it to the patient. Admission and discharge assessment visits are one likely place to insert this new task, experts suggest.

The new form is designed to give beneficiaries the chance to appeal the termination of their Medicare services. Even if very few patients  choose to do so, agencies must notify all patients.

Tip: Agencies may deliver the generic notice any time up to two days before their services will end, CMS says. But there are some exceptions to the rule requiring expedited review notices, including when the beneficiary goes into the hospital; when the beneficiary dies; when services end for reasons other than coverage ending - such as staffing or safety concerns; when the patient is discharged because she is in the hospital on the 60th day of the episode but she will be starting another episode when she returns home; and when the agency can't locate the patient. You should document these special circumstances, experts advise.

CMS may offer further exceptions in upcoming Q&As, officials said. Providers can expect additional Q&As, official stated in a June 20 special Open Door Forum. More information is at www.cms.hhs.gov/medicare/bni.