News, Quality of care, Skilled Nursing Facility

CMS vows to stop hospitals from blocking nursing home requests for patient information

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released several proposals in a blog post dated February 8, 2019, to help increase interoperability between hospitals and LTC facilities and remove silos that prevent SNFs and nursing homes from getting the information they need to care for patients. The agency is accepting comments on the requests for information and proposed rule until early April (exact date to be announced).
One proposal aims to set up “trust networks” …

Home Health, News, Payment/economy

CMS schedules PDGM call

Source: Home Health Line
CMS has scheduled an MLN call 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST Feb. 12 to discuss PDGM. During the call, CMS will provide a broad overview about PDGM and walk agencies through specific payment adjustments within the model. Afterward, CMS will hold a PDGM question-and-answer session.
CMS will post presentation materials in advance of the call, and an audio recording and transcripts will be available following the event. CMS will implement PDGM on …

Clinical, MDS 3.0 Items, News, Skilled Nursing Facility

New draft MDS data specs available for updating billing systems by PDPM implementation

CMS posted a new draft version (V3.00.0) of the MDS 3.0 Data Specifications to be effective October 1, 2019. Software developers and vendors will use these specifications to update SNF PPS grouper, MDS, electronic health records, and billing systems to align them with annual update to the RAI Manual and SNF PPS billing requirements.
CMS notes that “there are many significant changes, including the removal of eight item sets (NS, NSD, NO, NOD, SS, SSD, SO, …

Home Health, News, Preparation, Regulations, Skilled Nursing Facility

Updates to Appendix Z includes clarification on emergency preparedness and home health citations

In a memo from CMS dated February 1, 2019, the agency announced updates to Appendix Z of the State Operations Manual to reflect changes to the definition of an all-hazards approach to emergency preparedness, new home health agency citations, and clarifications under alternative source power and emergency standby systems.
Updates include the following:

CMS is adding “emerging infectious diseases” to the current definition of all-hazards approach. After review, CMS determined it was critical for facilities to include …