This report presents the Discharge Function Score measure specifications. Section 2 provides an overview of the measure and a high-level summary of the key features of the measure that are described in detail in the remaining sections of the document. Section 3 describes the methodology used to construct the Discharge …
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has released its March 2023 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy. The report includes MedPAC’s analyses of payment adequacy in traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare and reviews the status of Medicare Advantage (MA) and the prescription drug benefit (Part D). This report also satisfies an additional …
The American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing (AAPACN) will host the annual conference this year April 19 – 21 in Las Vegas, NV. Long-term and post-acute care professionals from across the nation will gather to learn the latest updates, embark on new certifications or recertifications, develop new action plans for …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites falls as the leading cause of injury-related death in adults aged 65 and older (CDC, 2023). It is imperative that nursing facility staff identify fall risk in their residents and care plan accordingly. A fall risk assessment can help to identify …
Effective with the Oct. 1, 2023, implementation of MDS v1.18.11, items A1005 (Ethnicity), A1010 (Race), A1110 (Language), and B1300 (Health Literacy) will provide nurse assessment coordinators (NACs) and other interdisciplinary team members with a starting point for creating more culturally competent care plans—especially if the team conducts a more detailed …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) officials answered a question regarding the ability to submit MDS assessments in the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) if a change in ownership occurs after the April 17 transition date. CMS clarified during the recent Skilled Nursing Facilities/Long-Term Care Open …
Question: Can I cover a resident under Medicare Part A who is receiving hospice care at the same time, or does the resident need to disenroll from hospice first? Answer from Carol Maher, RN-BC, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, RAC-CT, CPC: The answer is maybe. Usually, Medicare coverage ends when hospice services begin—both …
Question: What is required if a resident passes away the day after the ARD for a Significant Change in Status Assessment (SCSA) due to hospice initiation? Answer from Scott Heichel RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, QCP, ICC, IPCO:You do not need to complete an SCSA for this situation as the resident …
Question: A resident on Medicare Part A admitted during the weekend. How much time do I have to open the 5-Day PPS assessment? Answer from Jeff Taylor:The 5-Day PPS assessment must be opened before the end of the ARD window. This could be day 1-8 of the Medicare stay, but …
LTCF Overview New! 2023 Overview of HAI Reporting in LTCFs YouTube Link [Video – 41 min] Slideset [PDF – 3 MB] LTCF Annual Survey New! 2023 LTCF Component Annual Facility Survey Review [PDF – 2 MB] From https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/training/ltc/index.html LTCF Manual & FAQs From https://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/ltc/index.html
