Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. In the complex world of Minimum Data Set (MDS) assessment scheduling, discharge scenarios can often confuse even experienced interdisciplinary team (IDT) members. When a resident’s stay changes, due to either leaving the facility or a shift in payer …
Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. Each year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) releases a proposed Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) rule, outlining potential payment updates, quality reporting changes, and regulatory revisions that will affect SNFs nationwide. The …
AAPACN’s ADR Help: HIPPS Code Analyzer interactive tool helps identify the documentation elements that may have contributed to the HIPPS code assigned to an assessment selected for Additional Documentation Request (ADR) review. Designed to support the ADR record review process, the tool highlights the clinical, coding, and documentation areas that …
The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) updated its Clinical Guidance for C. diff Infection Prevention in Acute Care Facilities on May 13, 2026. The guidance emphasizes rapid isolation and contact precautions for residents with suspected or confirmed C. diff infection (CDI), including the use of dedicated equipment and …
Question: Please clarify when resident interviews need to be completed for the MDS? Answer from Scott Heichel RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, QCP, ICC, IPCO: All resident interviews, including the Customary Routine/Activities, BIMS, PHQ-2 to 9, and Pain, must be completed in the 7-day look-back window of the MDS. Any non-interview …
Question: Do I need to complete discharge assessments for an emergency evacuation? Answer from Carol Maher, RN, GERO-BC, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, CPC: You may not be required to complete the discharge MDS in this situation. Here is a link to the all-cause waiver information: https://www.cms.gov/About-CMS/Agency-Information/Emergency/Downloads/Provider-Survey-and-Certification-Frequently-Asked-Questions.pdf. Review the SNF information and watch …
Question: What are the correct dates for flu season and pneumonia vaccines for MDS purposes to count if present during that time? Answer from Jennifer LaBay RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, QCP, CRC: The influenza vaccine question O0250 is asking if the vaccine was delivered in your facility during the current flu …
From MLN Connects eNews: CMS will relaunch the Program for Evaluating Payment Patterns Electronic Report (PEPPER) in the coming months for all Medicare facility types, including hospitals, post-acute care providers, and specialty facilities. PEPPER is a free tool that helps you review your Medicare billing data so you can identify …
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has updated the “Staying Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines” guidance several times since requiring COVID-19 vaccinations to be coded on the MDS as of October 2024. Facility teams can track these changes by using AAPACN’s COVID-19 Vaccine “Up to Date” Guidance …
Starting Oct. 1, 2024, additional supporting documentation is required to capture a diagnosis of sepsis at I2100, Septicemia on the MDS. Nurse assessment coordinators can use the AAPACN Sepsis: Nurse Documentation Training Aid to provide guidance to nurses on assessment and documentation needs when a resident is diagnosed with sepsis. …
