The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), on behalf of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is making our shareholders aware of the “Adoption of Standards for Health Care Claims Attachments Transactions and Electronic Signatures (CMS-0053-F)” Final Rule that displayed today, March 20, 2026, and will …
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has approved the control number for the Advance Beneficiary Notice of Non-coverage (ABN) (CMS-R-131). CMS is notifying the industry through our website, and the Medicare Learning Network and has posted the updated version of the ABN below. The updated ABN is effective now …
Consistency in documentation is vital to code the MDS accurately. Several MDS items use hospital records to support coding, such as diagnoses, recent surgery, IV fluids/feeding, and tube feeding. Use the PDPM Admission Documentation Request tool as a checklist to ensure a comprehensive review of hospital documentation required to support …
Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. As National Kidney Month arrives in March, so does an important reminder: our kidneys work quietly every day, filtering waste, balancing fluids, and supporting overall health. Now is the perfect time for facility coders in long-term care (LTC) …
Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. The watchword that increasingly defines federal (and some state) programs that drive nursing home operations and payment is connectedness, says Scott Heichel, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-CTA, DNS-CT, IPCO, QCP, ICC, director of reimbursement and education for Pathway Health in …
Medicare Advantage Plan Appeals in Skilled Nursing Facilities Date presented: January 21, 2026 In this webinar, Acentra Health provices a look at a recent focus study on how Medicare Advantage plans use NOMNCs in SNFs. During the webinar, we shared key data, outlined common challenges such as weak care planning, limited …
In this LTC NAC Chat podcast episode, Amy Stewart, MSN, RN, DNS-MT, QCP-MT, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, chief nursing officer for AAPACN, and Jennifer LaBay, RN, RAC-MT, RAC-MTA, QCP, CRC, curriculum development specialist for AAPACN, discuss some of the highlights of LaBay’s AAPACN conference session, “Express Pass to Precision: Tackling Tricky ICD-10-CM …
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Question: Can I set a 5-Day PPS assessment on a non-billable day such as a skip day? The resident was sent to the hospital, did not return prior to midnight, and was not admitted. Answer from Carol Maher, RN, GERO-BC, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT, CPC: No, the ARD for the 5-Day cannot …
Listen to this article Your browser does not support the audio element. February’s designation as American Heart Month offers an important opportunity to reflect on the role of cardiovascular health in long-term care (LTC). Cardiac conditions such as heart disease, hypertension (HTN), and heart failure are among the most frequently …
Question: The Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) Data Validation Audit notification letter requested Admission and Discharge assessments. What assessments should be submitted? Answer from Jessie McGill RN, BSN, RAC-MTA, RAC-MT: On the notification letter, there are instructions for the “MDS Assessment Type is Admission” or a “Discharge.” …
