Location, Location, Location!! This is the phrase realtors quote about the ability to get top dollar when selling a property and in healthcare, this is a phrase that can determine coverage and payment methods – who knew?? Therapy providers have some of the fewest restrictions when it comes to locations of just about any other…
Some welcome flexibilities and administrative relief are built into the final 2021 Medicare Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS) rules for paying wound care professionals and outpatient hospitals. While some of the telehealth policies are being made permanent, CMS makes it clear that it does not have authority to continue telehealth benefits for patients in homes…
Rehab therapists may be facing a pay cut in 2021, but at least it won’t be as high as they were originally expecting, thanks to the Consolidated Appropriations and COVID-19 Relief Act of 2021, signed December 27, 2021.1 The final 2021 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) rules announced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid…
Functional outcomes scores for rehab therapy and quality reporting data reported by skilled nursing facilities (SNF) are now open to the public. On October 28, 2020 the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ‘refreshed’ the SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) data reported on Nursing Home Compare (NHC). And on December 9, 2020, CMS refreshed…
Managing your Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is typically top of mind this time of year. And while MIPS can be challenging, we wanted to take a moment to review the category expectations, timelines and deadlines. Performance is evaluated across four categories, each with different weights: CMS finalized the following performance thresholds and category weights…
As COVID cases trend upward in skilled nursing facilities1, organizations can benefit from infection prevention plans capable of reducing transmission without eliminating visitation. With pandemic priorities rapidly evolving, however, SNFs may be best served by a practical prevention plan designed to both meet current challenges and facilitate future changes. SNF Statistics At-a-Glance For SNFs, patient…
In early 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic overwhelmed our healthcare system with an unprecedented influx of seriously ill patients. Healthcare providers placed themselves at personal risk to treat patients who were infected with this new and unfamiliar virus. Since those early days, healthcare providers made great strides in adapting to this “new normal” that is…
Expanding telehealth reimbursement for outpatient physical therapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), and speech language pathology (SLP) has been a critical strategy to ensure the health of millions of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, increased telehealth billing options for Medicare patients is currently connected to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Waivers, which may expire in…
While the best patient care is always the chief goal, we as skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) are constantly looking for ways to streamline operations to protect the longevity of our businesses. If we have to close our doors, we can’t help anyone. With the recent focus and shift from volume-based to value-based care under the…
Outpatient physical and other rehab therapy practices may face payment cuts in 2021. The new Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) proposed by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will reduce reimbursements by about 9% for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other rehab therapy practices. Deadline to Submit Comments to CMS Today by 5…
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