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PPS Alert for Long-Term Care

Issue 12, December 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Dealing with the drug disposal dilemma

  Medications dispensed to long-term care facilities can go unused for a variety of reasons, such as...

• Improve accuracy when coding activities of daily living

  Coding activities of daily living (ADL) in Section G of the MDS 2.0 is an ongoing problem for many...

• PPS Q&A

  Columnist Diane Brown discusses medical record numbers, concurrent therapy, and coding internal...

Issue 11, November 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Save valuable time with strategies to improve nurse documentation

  MDS coordinators can save valuable time by tackling one of the most demanding aspects of the...

• Avoid confusion when coding cognitive patterns

  Coding section B of the MDS 2.0, which deals with a resident’s cognitive patterns, does not...

• Capturing preadmission IV medications

  Help your facility get the documentation needed to code IV medications provided during a...

• PPS Q&A

  Columnist Wayne van Halem, AHFI, CFE, discusses what to do when an internal audit reveals billing...

Issue 10, October 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• SNF PPS final rule: Get ready for reimbursement reductions and RUG-IV

  CMS released the final rule for fiscal year (FY) 2010 payment updates to SNFs July 28, leaving many...

• Developing a disaster plan: It’s all in the details

  All SNFs should have a comprehensive disaster plan in place, and with hurricane season in full...

• Steps to successful care planning

  Facilities that develop and use the individual resident care plans daily seldom have problems with...

• PPS Q&A

  Columnist Diane Brown discusses restorative nursing, completing section AA of the MDS 2.0, and more.

Issue 9, September 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• CMS releases new infection control guidelines for nursing homes

  On July 17, CMS released Transmittal R51SOMA, which combines and revises the surveyor guidance on...

• Transitioning from RAPs to CATs: How can you prepare?

  Implementation of the MDS 3.0 will require SNFs to adopt many new tools and processes, such as Care...

• ZPICs crack down on Medicare fraud and abuse

  You may not have heard of Zone Program Integrity Contractors (ZPIC), but they will soon be...

• PPS Q&A

  Columnist Wayne van Halem, AHFI, CFE, discusses the events and factors that can trigger an audit.

Issue 8, August 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Prepare for the MDS 3.0 by improving customer satisfaction

  Customer satisfaction is becoming increasingly important in long-term care and will play a major...

• CMS revises survey guidance for quality of life F-tags: Are you in compliance?

  CMS recently released new guidance for nursing home surveyors regarding 11 F-tags, many of which...

• Recovery audit contractors: Ready or not, here they come

  There is no hiding from the Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program, which CMS is in the process of...

• PPS Q&A

  Columnist Diane Brown discusses the ADL index under RUG-IV, MDS 3.0 training, and more.

Issue 7, July 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• CMS releases new MDS 3.0 draft item set

  CMS released an updated MDS 3.0 draft item set May 7, and the new version includes significant...

• What does RUG-IV mean for your facility?

  Although aspects of RUG-IV may change before implementation, SNFs should know how the proposed...

• New HIPAA provisions: More important than you think

  Enforcement of HIPAA is about to get tougher due to provisions passed under the $787 billion...

• PPS Q&A

  Columnist Wayne van Halem, AHFI, CFE, discusses the different types of audits a facility can...

Issue 6, June 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• "I" care: Writing care plans for a new culture

  Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of “I” care plans can help your facility...

• LTC certification could shorten providers' software searches

  In April, the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) announced that...

• PPS Q&A

  Columnist Rena R. Shephard, MHA, RN, RAC-MT, C-NE, answers your questions

Issue 5, May 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• F309 puts pressure on pain management

  To comply with F309, nursing facilities must reexamine how they assess and manage pain in...

• Seeing stars: Who's looking at your SNF's star rating?

  When CMS unveiled the Five-Star Quality Rating System for nursing homes in December 2008, the...

• Preparing for October 2010: What your SNF can do to get ready for the MDS 3.0 now

  When CMS recently announced the MDS 3.0 implementation would be delayed until October 2010, many in...

• Medical Reviews: How much scrutiny do your data face?

  Although understanding the medical review process and what fiscal intermediaries (FI) and Medicare...

Issue 4, April 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Build an MDS team for a more accurate, efficient MDS process

  Using team-gathered information to complete an MDS improves accuracy.

• Stimulus package injects Medicaid money into economy

  After spending billions to bail out the American banking and automobile industries, the federal...

• Identify ADL decline before your next survey

  Identifying activities of daily living (ADL) decline early is the key to helping residents maintain...

• Maximize your Medicare reimbursement

  Do you think racking up therapy minutes is the only way to get a good Medicare reimbursement? If...

• The triple-check system: A proactive approach to Medicare compliance

  A solid triple-check system designed to internally audit claims prior to submission may decrease...

Issue 3, March 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• CMS revising 3.0 timeline

  At the January SNF/Long-Term Care Open Door Forum, amid industry rumors that this year’s...

• Telling your facility’s story in a five-star era

  Now that consumers can access star ratings for nursing facilities on the Internet, telling the...

• PPS Q&A

  Editor’s note: “PPS Q&A” is written by Rena R. Shephard, MHA, RN, RAC-MT...

• Taking away restraints, one resident at a time

  Operating a restraint-free nursing facility may seem like an unattainable goal, but it has been a...

Issue 2, February 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• CMS launches five-star rating system

  CMS' five-star quality rating system will require nursing homes to tell the public about what the...

• Beneficiary notifications: Simplify the process at your SNF

  Avoid survey and financial liability problems by learning which notices your facility must issue...

• Taking steps toward compliance at your SNF

  Now is a good time for nursing facilities to revisit compliance programs, since the OIG has...

Issue 1, January 1, 2009 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE

• Using new methods to assess delirium

  Although delirium is a common and serious problem among nursing home residents, this acute but...

• Operating in a tough economy

  As if operating a nursing home wasn’t challenging enough already, economic factors mean...

• Negative pressure wound therapy: The pros and cons

  With negative pressure wound therapy becoming a more common form of wound care treatment, many...

• PPSA Q&A

  Rena R. Shephard answers questions about putting rehab on hold, discharge tracking, and restraints.