The Quarterly OASIS Q&As were released in January. Interestingly, there were a number of questions regarding medication management, specifically OASIS items M2020 and M2030. Determination of the patient’s ability to manage oral and/or injectable medications can be tricky for the assessing clinician. Direct observation is the preferred assessment method. Clinicians need to observe the patient’s…
Review Choice Demonstration
The Review Choice Demonstration (RCD) selection period is currently open for Illinois (Cycle 5) and Texas (Cycle 4) from March 1, 2022 through March 16, 2022. Selections made during this time will go into effect on April 1, 2022. Providers that DO NOT MAKE A SELECTION will automatically be placed in a default category based…
Hospice Benefit Eligibility
Just last month, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced its intent to perform a nationwide review of hospice beneficiary eligibility. This action was in response to identified recent negative findings during individual provider audits by the Office of Audit Services. In their audits, they found a pattern of patients who did not meet eligibility…
Conditions of Participation
When it comes to the Conditions of Participation for both home health care and hospice, there are different sources for this information. Organizations often search the State Operations Manual (SOM) for CoPs. However, it’s important to remember that this document is a guide for state surveyors and doesn’t contain other information such as Conditions for…
Approved Signatures
Services and orders provided for home health and hospice require some kind of authenticating signature by the author. In this age of electronic medical records, organizations are faced with a variety of signatures–handwritten and electronic. It’s often difficult to determine what is acceptable to the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs). Here are a few tips. First…
January 2022 CMS Quarterly OASIS Q&As
The recently released January 2022 Quarterly OASIS Q&As reiterated the CY 2022 Home Health Final Rule confirming that OASIS-E will begin on January 1, 2023, instead of the originally estimated time frame of one full year after the end of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. They went on to say that CMS will release a…
OASIS-E & High-Risk Medications
Medicare-certified home health agencies will be required to implement the use of OASIS-E on January 1, 2023. An announcement by CMS last month stating the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) had approved the extension of OASIS-D until November 2024 was confusing to many of us. It seemed to directly contradict the Home Health Final…
COVID-19 Regulatory Changes
Recently, changes have occurred in the COVID-19 government mandates. Only two vaccine mandates are currently in effect, but the changes have caused much confusion. Adding to that, half of the nation’s states have current litigation pending and will not have surveyor enforcement of the CMS vaccine mandate. It’s enough to make your head spin! Things…
COVID-19 Regulatory Guidance
As of 12/29/2021: CDC Guidance for Isolation and Quarantine Protocols If you have a positive COVID-19 test (regardless of vaccination status): Stay isolated for 5 days If no symptoms exist, or symptoms lessen after 5 days, you may leave your house but only with a mask for 5 additional days If symptoms persist, including fever,…
Occupational Therapist CoP Changes
Year 2022 is almost here and those of us in home health care must consider the Final Rule and changes which become effective on January 1, 2022. One alteration to the Conditions of Participation is the allowance of an occupational therapist to perform the initial visit and comprehensive assessment. This is a bit of a…
