• E-mail
• Print
• RSS

Tip of the week: Train staff to avoid losing reimbursement

Infection Control Monitor, October 12, 2007

On August 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services finalized regulations that will cut out higher payments for the additional treatment costs for three types of hospital-associated infections and five medical errors starting on October 1, 2008.

As the new regulations stand, facilities will need to make a number of adjustments to avoid losing reimbursement. For example, coders will need to undergo training on the provisions of the rule to ensure that they are coding correctly. Traditionally, hospitals have paid more attention to discharge coding, but this will need to change as a result of the rule, says Allison Shuren, a partner in the healthcare division at the Arent Fox law firm in Washington, DC.

Nursing staff members are also going to be critical to proper reimbursement, as they will need to ensure that admissions assessments are detailed and complete.

To learn more about the new regulations, go to www.hcpro.com/content/77229.cfm. The cost is $10. Briefings on Infection Control subscribers received this story with their subscriptions.

• E-mail to a Colleague
• Print
• RSS
• Archive