DPNA for SNF Billing Requirements Revised

CMS is updating Denial of Payment for New Admissions (DPNA) instructions. Effective Jan. 1, 2009, a SNF must use occurrence span code 80 for reporting prior same-SNF stay dates when a SNF that is under a payment ban needs to submit a claim for a Medicare beneficiary readmission that is not subject to the payment ban. For a summary of additional changes made to Chapter 6, Section 50 of the Medicare Processing Manual, see MLN Matters article MM6116 on the CMS Web site. For a more comprehensive explanation, read CMS transmittal 1555.