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Looking for a tool to make your job easier? PPS Alert for Long-Term Care, exclusively for the RN or MDS coordinator, is your survival guide for complying with PPS.
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Issue 12, December 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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RAI User's Manual changes effective October 1, 2013
On September 27, 2013, CMS released the RAI Manual V1.11 Replacement Manual Pages and Change Tables... -
Facilities with satisfied staff have more satisfied customers and reduced deficiencies
Could your facility reduce its risk of survey deficiencies and improve customer satisfaction by... -
Improving your facility's dementia care program and maintaining compliance
Developing an effective dementia care program is essential for SNFs, and CMS' recent updates to... -
PPS Q&A
Editor's note: This month's PPS Q&A was modified from the HCPro book, Long-Term Care Skilled...
Issue 11, November 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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2013 statistics show a decrease in prescription antipsychotics
In March 2012, CMS formed the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care. The motivation for... -
CDC report highlights increasing threat of antibiotic-resistant organisms
Antibiotic resistance is a threat that all healthcare facilities have heard before, but after the... -
2013 year-in-review: What we learned and what we have to look forward to in 2014
It may be hard to believe, but 2013 is quickly coming to a close and 2014 is just as rapidly... -
MDS professor
Test your knowledge of the MDS and long-term care by answering the following questions. To review... -
PPS Q&A
Editor's note: This month's PPS Q&A was modified from the HCPro book ICD-10 Essentials for...
Issue 10, October 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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CMS issues final payment changes for fiscal year 2014
If you hate surprises, then you were probably pleased with the final rule for the prospective... -
Redesigned Medicare Summary Notices add to a growing focus on fraud and abuse
If 2013 has shown us anything, it's that the government is dead serious about reducing Medicare... -
GAO report reveals flaws in manual medical review process
During the final three months of 2012, in response to the growing concern regarding costs for... -
HHS proposes updates to LTC Ombudsman program
On June 14, the Administration on Aging and the Administration of Community Living (ACL), both... -
MDS professor
Test your knowledge of the MDS and long-term care by answering the following questions. To review... -
PPS Q&A
Editor's note: This month's PPS Q&A was modified from the NEW HCPro book SNF Nursing and...
Issue 9, September 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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QAPI update: Looking ahead toward successful implementation
On June 7, CMS officially announced the rollout of introductory materials for LTC facilities to use... -
Troubleshooting G-codes and modifiers for outpatient therapy
June 30 marked the end of the testing period for the claims-based data collection requirement for... -
CMS releases updated surveyor guidance for residents with dementia
A memo released by CMS to state survey directors on May 24 provided additional clarifications... -
MDS professor
Test your knowledge of the MDS and long-term care by answering the following questions. To... -
PPS Q&A
Editor's note: This month's PPS Q&A was modified from the HCPro book Satisfied Customers Seldom...
Issue 8, August 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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Silencing alarms in the long-term care setting
For years, patient alarms have been the main tool in preventing patient falls, particularly in... -
Battling C. diff infections with infection control basics
Although often overshadowed by more-publicized counterparts, such as methicillin-resistant... -
MDS professor
Test your knowledge of the MDS and long-term care by answering the following questions. -
PPS Q&A
This issue of PPS Q&A covers monitoring residents who are on atypical antipsychotics and...
Issue 7, July 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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CMS proposes a SNF rate increase for 2014
In May, CMS released a proposed rule concerning Medicare payment and policy changes for SNFs for... -
CMS releases memo to survey agencies regarding sequestration
When the federal sequestration hit March 1, government programs saw budget cuts across the board as... -
Update to fraud and abuse reporting offers greater incentives for whistleblowers
If LTC providers weren't already focused on their compliance programs, a new proposed rule from CMS... -
MDS professor
Test your knowledge of the MDS and long-term care by answering the following questions. -
PPS Q&A
In this PPS Q&A, we discuss the tips for new coders to help them accurately find the proper...
Issue 6, June 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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OSHA targets high-risk workplaces for possible inspections
In March, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sent letters to 9,400 employers... -
MedPAC reiterates recommendations to restructure Medicare payment system
On March 15, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) issued its annual report to... -
Ongoing monitoring and periodic audits key to continued success
Editor's note: This is the fifth and final installment of a series of articles focusing on how SNFs... -
MDS professor
Test your knowledge of the MDS and long-term care by answering the following questions. -
PPS Q&A
In this PPSA Q&A, we discuss the administrator’s role in the billing process at your...
Issue 5, May 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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OIG report highlights quality-of-care shortcomings
If you were starting to wonder whether the Office of Inspector General (OIG) has a bone to pick... -
Identifying steps toward improving care planning and discharge planning
The numbers featured in an OIG report released in February should tell SNF providers all they need... -
Refining systems and tools to improve early recognition and care
Editor's note: This is the fourth installment of a series of articles focusing on how... -
MDS professor
Test your knowledge of the MDS and long-term care by answering the following questions. -
PPS Q&A
In this PPSA Q&A, Normal 0 false false false EN-US...
Issue 4, April 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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HIPAA finalizes omnibus rule, increases security for health data
On January 17, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced its biggest set of... -
Improving nursing practices and systems to recognize the first signs of readmission
Editor's note: This is the third installment of a series of articles focusing on how SNFs can help... -
AHCA Quality Report shows progress within the LTC industry
In November, the American Health Care Association (AHCA) released its annual Quality Report, based... -
MDS professor
Test your knowledge of the MDS and long-term care by answering the following questions. -
PPS Q&A
We discuss ICD-10 and a transition strategy for facilities. /* Style Definitions...
Issue 3, March 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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New claims-based data collection codes put additional pressure on therapists
The testing period has begun for the claims-based data collection requirement for outpatient... -
Using root cause analysis to expose readmission weaknesses
This is the second installment in a series of articles focusing on how SNFs can help reduce... -
Preventing staff burnout: A proactive approach to a happy and productive workforce
The long-term care industry is one of the most regulated industries in healthcare, and at times it... -
MDS professor
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Issue 2, February 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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As more information comes forth, SNFs look to implement compliant QAPI programs
Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, CMS has been working to address a specific... -
CMS memo clarifies confusion with medication administration and policies
On November 2, 2012, CMS released a memorandum to survey agency directors regarding clarifications... -
The first step: Mastering the admissions process
In the first article of this reducing readmissions series, we cover the first step: mastering the... -
MDS professor
Test your knowledge of the MDS and long-term care by answering the following questions. -
PPS Q&A
This month's PPSA Q&A discusses the administrator’s role in ensuring quality performance...
Issue 1, January 1, 2013 - VIEW THE FULL ISSUE
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CMS officially updates the RAI manual
In the beginning of November, CMS officially updated its MDS 3.0 RAI Manual to include billing and... -
Proposed Medicare settlement expands coverage for skilled nursing and therapy
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CMS issues surveyor guidance for advance directives and end of life requests
Two new CMS memos to state surveyors indicate that SNFs may be seeing more regulatory emphasis in... -
MDS professor
Think you’re an MDS expert? Test your knowledge of this long-term care assessment tool with...
Issue 3, March 1, 2013
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PPS Q&A
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