Long-Term Care

Help on the way for therapy certification requirement

Contemporary Long-Term Care Weekly, December 6, 2007

The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule final rule will ease the certification requirement for the plan of care for Part B physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology services.

 

Currently, the physician must recertify the plan of care every 30 days, but CMS is changing that "to an appropriate length, based on the patient's needs, limited to 90 days."

 

This new requirement will be incorporated into 42 CFR 409.17 and will be effective July 1. After a two-year trial, CMS plans to assess whether the change has resulted in inappropriate Part B therapy utilization.

 

Access the final rule and the CFR updates at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/center/physician.asp.

 

 

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