OASIS Alert

Use New Format Oct. 1 - Or Else

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued the final data specifications for OASIS 1.40, the new OASIS version that takes effect Oct. 1.

"All assessment records with completion dates (M0090) on or after 10/1/2003 must conform to the version 1.40 specifications," CMS instructs on its OASIS Web site. "Assessments with earlier completion dates must conform to the version 1.30 specifications (or to earlier versions, as appropriate)."

The final specs have two changes from the draft specs put out in April, CMS notes. A clarification of the implementation requirements and a change to consistency checks were added.

Version 1.40 incorporates two major new features compared to previous versions: changes to diagnosis code reporting and the addition of branch identification number reporting, CMS notes. The final specs are at www.cms.hhs.gov/oasis/datasubm.asp.

  • Regional home health intermediary Palmetto GBA has lifted the time limit on viewing partial episode payment adjustments, it says on its Web site. Home health agencies now may view PEPs for the entire duration of the two-year PEP recovery process, instead of only through July 28. The claims will move out of the SM PEP1 status/location as they are processed, so Palmetto recommends printing out a copy of the adjustment listing now.

  • CMS also issued a diagnosis code clarification for OASIS Version 1.40. The table summarizes data specification changes required by HIPAA after Oct. 1 and included in version 1.40. Two new M0245 fields were added to this version, CMS notes: M0245_PMT_ICD1 (bytes 755-761) and M0245_ PMT_ICD2 (bytes 762-768).