Optimizing reimbursement: Tips and tools
Rehab Regs, December 26, 2008
Prevent denials with complete home environment documentation
Obtain complete information regarding the patient’s home environment, and document it accurately. Ask the following basic questions regarding the home environment:
• How many steps are needed to climb to enter the house?
• On what floor are your bedroom and bathroom located?
• On what floor are the washer and dryer located?
• How many steps are needed to climb to the second floor?
• Are there handrails on the staircase? If so, on which side?
• Do you live alone? If you do, will you have temporary assistance while you recover? If not, is someone who resides with you home all the time or are you alone in the house for long periods of time?
If the patient lives alone but has someone staying with him or her during recovery, document that this is only short-term and that the patient will return to living alone. This accurate documentation will support your long-term goals, as well as the need for skilled therapy services. Without this clarification, insurance carriers may deny claims because they think the patient does not need to achieve independence because someone at home will help perform tasks.
This tip for optimal reimbursement is from HCPro’s book The How-To Manual for Rehab Documentation: A Complete Guide to Increasing Reimbursement and Reducing Denials, written by Rick Gawenda, PT.
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