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CMS clarifies POA implementation schedule

Case Management Weekly, May 30, 2007

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Last week, CMS issued a new transmittal relating to the requirement that hospitals begin reporting "present on admission" (POA) codes. The POA code is a critical data element that indicates whether a particular diagnosis was present at the time of the order for inpatient admission.

It is easy to get confused about the various dates relating to the implementation of the POA code reporting requirement. Here is a summary:

Discharges on or after October 1, 2007: Hospitals (other than critical access hospitals, Maryland waiver hospitals, long-term care hospitals, cancer hospitals and children's hospitals) are required by federal law to begin reporting POA codes on inpatient claims. However, CMS will not use the POA codes for claims processing.

Discharges on or after January 1, 2008: CMS will begin using the POA codes for claims processing. However, claims will continue to be processed even if a valid POA code is not reported for each diagnosis. The remittance advice will notify hospitals if an invalid POA code was reported.

Source: Hugh Aaron's Medicare Weekly Update, HCPro, Inc; CMS

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