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COVID-19:
Facilitate Safe Holiday Celebrations
Keeping residents safe, but not socially isolated, over the holidays is more important tha... Read more
Care Planning:
Use These Tips for Dementia Care During Pandemic
Try to preserve routine while focusing on human connection. Residents with dementia may ... Read more
Tips and Tricks:
Tidy Your To-Do List to Round Out 2020
Cleaning off your desk is a good way to end this year and start 2021. 2020 has been a y... Read more
Reader Question:
Don’t Count on Elbow Bumps as Safe Alternative
Question: Many of our residents are really missing the connection and attention they used ... Read more
Reader Questions:
CDC Recommends Alcohol-Based Sanitizers
Question: My hands are so dry from the constant washing. I don't like the fragrance of mos... Read more
Reader Questions:
Reassure Beneficiaries of Cost-Coverage for Vaccination
Question: Now that several COVID-19 vaccines are closer to approval and distribution, will... Read more
Reader Questions:
Code ‘Edentulous’ If Resident Has This Condition
Question: One of our residents has dental implants in place of all of her natural teeth. D... Read more
COVID-19:
Stay on Top of PHE Updates
Understand updated rules for PHE extension, in-person visits, infection control incentive ... Read more
Care Planning:
Beware Potential Effect of Diabetes on COVID-19 Infection
Keep everyone safe by knowing how to manage this chronic disease amidst COVID exposures. ... Read more
Paperwork Preparedness:
Brush Up on ABN Knowledge
Make sure you know what to do in these advanced beneficiary notice situations. The Center... Read more
Reader Questions:
Understand Which Health Information is Protected
Question: Is there more to protected health information (PHI) than just a resident's medic... Read more
Reader Questions:
Don’t Worry About Part A Discharge in This Expiration Situation
Question: If a Part A resident expires, do I need to complete a Part A PPS Discharge? I've... Read more
Reader Questions:
Consider Signature Logs
Question: What can a facility do if a physician's signature is illegible? Minnesota Subs... Read more
ICD-10 Focus:
Check Out These Updates to Relevant ICD-10 Codes
Know these updates to make sure you're recording residents' conditions accurately. Even t... Read more
Surveys and Compliance:
Get the Skinny on Current COVID-19 Testing Regulations
Stay up to date with frequently changing testing guidance. After a slow-to-start national... Read more
Health Information Security:
Continue to Prioritize Resident PHI During Pandemic
While telehealth is a boon for safety and convenience, it can be problematic, too. The ma... Read more
Reader Questions:
Querying is Often a Good First Step
Question: According to hospital-provided documentation, one of my new residents has been a... Read more
Reader Questions:
COVID-19 Lab Test Included for Part A Beneficiaries
Question: Can our facility bill Medicare for COVID-19 testing if one of our nurses is perf... Read more
Reader Questions:
Don’t Fall Prey to COVID-19 Cyberattacks
Question: Which ICD-10 code should I choose for a resident who has two stage 2 pressure in... Read more
Surveys and Certification:
Prepare for Survey Resumption
Take infection control and COVID-19 reporting responsibilities seriously. Nursing homes t... Read more
CMS Updates:
Stay Abreast of These Federal COVID-19-Related Updates
Understand which big-picture announcements may impact your day-to-day work. The Centers... Read more
Don’t Expect COVID-19 Relief in 2021 Final Rule
CMS says that much is beyond the scope of rulemaking. Although COVID-19 is a major focus ... Read more
COVID-19 Mitigation:
Protect Employee Privacy While Testing
Enact a protective buffer for residents and staff without violating employee privacy. As ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Continue to Report Data with In-House Testing Device
Question: Our facility has been chosen to receive a device to test for COVID-19 infection.... Read more
Reader Questions:
Pay Attention to Resident Status, Not Payer Source
Question: One of our residents was Medicaid but went to the hospital and came back as a sk... Read more
Reader Questions:
COVID-19 Does Not Equate to Skilled Status
Question: I am being pressured by some of the folks in our finance office to skill all res... Read more
Agency News You Can Use:
Welcome New Support, Note Resumption of Some Regulatory Responsibilities
A more coordinated federal response may bring relief to the long-term care industry. The ... Read more
COVID-19:
Understand How COVID-19 Affects Communities, Facilities
The transmission of COVID-19 may be out of your hands. The U.S. is still struggling to ge... Read more
Staffing:
Prioritize Staff Needs to Ensure Care
Try these tips to bolster your staff's resiliency. The long-term care industry has a noto... Read more
Reader Questions:
Respect This Resident Right
Question: Can a resident or their representative legally decline a test for COVID-19? If s... Read more
Reader Questions:
Look to This Guidance on Facility-Wide Testing
Question: We had a minor outbreak of COVID-19 in our facility but, fortunately, did not ex... Read more
Reader Questions:
Know These Terms for Stress Fractures
Question: One of the residents in my building was diagnosed with a stress fracture in one ... Read more
Billing and Reimbursement:
Understand This Important PHE Billing Clarification
Know what to do with ‘DR' code modifier. Facilities have been scrambling to understand ... Read more
Surveys and Compliance:
Stay on Top of These Ftags
Avoid citations for COVID-19-related issues. Depending on your facility's location, you m... Read more
COVID-19:
Understand When Visitation Is Allowed During PHE
Hint: ‘Compassionate care' situations encompass more than end of life. States across th... Read more
Reader Questions:
Prepare for Possibility of Cyberattack
Question: Some of my colleagues have reported getting weird emails. I'm worried that ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Stay Abreast of TPE PHE Changes
Question: We keep checking our Medicare carrier's website for the Targeted Probe and ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Note This CMS Update for Nursing Home Testing
Question: As the pandemic becomes the new normal, which entity is supposed to cover t... Read more
Reader Questions:
Avoid Overdoing COVID-19 Testing
Question: Staff at my facility are still recovering psychologically from a COVID-19 o... Read more
COVID-19:
Establish Your COVID-19 Testing Protocols
Accessing and affording testing is the next major hurdle before normalcy. As nursing home... Read more
Surveys and Compliance:
Know What to Expect With Surveys as Pandemic Restrictions Ease
Prioritize infection control measures, but consider ways for residents to interact safely,... Read more
PHE Measures:
See Whether These COVID-19 Flexibilities Can Benefit You
Through waivers and other means, CMS is trying to let facilities focus on care. The Cent... Read more
Reader Question:
Use These Tips for Interactions with PPE
Question: I work with residents with dementia and residents who are hard of hearing. Body ... Read more
Reader Question:
Skill Residents in This Situation
Question: One of our residents became infected with COVID-19, declined quickly, and was tr... Read more
Reader Question:
Coding Isolation May Require SCSA
Question: If we put a resident in isolation for confirmed COVID-19 infection, do we have t... Read more
CMS Updates:
Stay Alert to How Changes May Impact Your Facility
CMS is carrying on with some regular updates and introducing others specifically to deal ... Read more
Telehealth Privacy:
Keep These HIPAA Rules Handy for Telehealth Encounters
CMS tries to make things easier on providers, and nursing facilities can benefit. The re... Read more
Burnout Avoidance:
Try This Trick to Help with Feeling Overwhelmed
Writing about your experiences may sound kooky, but it works. The COVID-19 pandemic is a... Read more
Reader Question:
People in This Staff Role Can Work Remotely
Question: What does the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) say about long-... Read more
Reader Question:
Allow AMA Leave During PHE
Question: Did the rules around discharging against medical advice (AMA) change at all duri... Read more
Reader Question:
Encourage Social Distancing at Mealtimes
Question: It's my understanding that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS... Read more
Reader Question:
Pocket this PHE Waiver Knowledge
Question: I know there's a waiver available for the three-day qualifying hospital stay for... Read more
Surveys and Compliance:
Know How this Special Survey Guidance May Affect You
Surveyors will be looking for infection control and prevention measures. The Centers for ... Read more
Keep Abreast of CMS Emergency Adjustments
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released myriad paperwork, envi... Read more
Novel Coronavirus:
Look for This Variety of Symptoms
Elderly people may present differently; know what to look for. Statistically, the disease... Read more
Documentation:
Brush Up on Electronic Signature Rules
Don't let a signature snafu cause issues. Nursing facilities can utilize electronic sign... Read more
Reader Question:
Don't Worry if Your Facility Lacks an AIIR
Question: Our facility doesn't have an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR). Does that... Read more
Reader Question:
Clean These Surfaces, Too
Question: Our janitorial staff know to clean doorknobs and other high-touch surfaces in ou... Read more
Reader Question:
Code Isolation When Situation Fits These Requirements
Question: How do I correctly document our facility's efforts when a resident requires iso... Read more
Infection Control:
Follow These CMS, CDC, OCR Tips for COVID-19 Outbreak
Put your infection control protocol to the test with your preparations for the most recent... Read more
CMS Update:
Beware This SNF PDPM Claims Issue
Don't expect a quick fix, and follow these suggestions in the interim. Robin Fritter, dir... Read more
Resident Rights:
Protect Resident Privacy in Case of Infection
Know which HIPAA privacy rules apply during a public health emergency. Resident health p... Read more
CMS Update:
Look to New All-In-One Medicare Compare Tool
Plus: Stakeholders can access provider data more easily soon, too. The Centers for Medica... Read more
Medicare Forms and Regulations:
Write and Deliver your SNFABNs Correctly
Hint: Making sure the beneficiary or representative understands the notice is key. When... Read more
Reader Question:
Beware the Potential for MBI Switch
Question: I keep getting error messages suggesting that a resident's Medicare Beneficiary ... Read more
Reader Question:
Use Physician Query for Questionable Diagnosis
Question: Is a subdural hematoma from a fall a traumatic brain injury? Would this constitu... Read more
Reader Question:
Remember These OBRA Regulations
Question:  If the resident goes home and returns within the interrupted stay window, ... Read more
Compliance:
Here's How to Avoid Involuntary Seclusion
Emphasize resident well-being over staff convenience. It's the nursing home stereotype: R... Read more
Clip and Save:
Make the Right Coding Choices for Therapeutic Diets
Don't let misconceptions about fad diets color coding on disease processes. Many people a... Read more
ICD-10 Deep Dive:
Illuminate UTI Coding through Anatomy
Know which organs are involved to narrow down choices. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) ar... Read more
Medicare Basics:
Bust 5 Medicare Myths with These Explanations
You can utilize your region's MAC as a resource. If you have residents who are Medicare b... Read more
Find Out How to Use MBIs Now
Hint: If a resident has Medicare, then their MDS must have their MBI to be accurate. Some... Read more
Understand BMI to Hit NTA Points
Know how the height/weight calculation impacts your coding choices. You may have heard wh... Read more
Reader Question:
Note that MBI Can Survive Beneficiary
Question: Can I look up a resident's Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) even if that re... Read more
Reader Question:
Know Timeline for this Correction
Question: I am pretty sure I made an error and coded an item incorrectly in Section J of a... Read more
Reader Question:
Understand Code Sequencing to Provide Additional Context
Question: After looking through the external cause codes in the ICD-10 manual, I was a lit... Read more
Reader Question:
Complete a DIF, but Disregard Discharge
Question: If a resident leaves our facility to go to the hospital and is not admitted into... Read more
PDPM Spotlight:
Beware: Reimbursement May be Driving Workforce Decisions
There may be cause to anticipate a course “correction” as PDPM effects become apparent... Read more
CMS Updates:
Keep Up to Date with CMS Changes
Say goodbye to Section G, note a last call on HICNs, and keep abreast of changing state co... Read more
PDPM Deep Dive:
Look to HIPPS to Understand Why Diagnosis Code Rankings Matter
HIPPS codes were restructured with the advent of PDPM. You know that acquiring ICD-10 flu... Read more
ICD-10 Focus:
Become Familiar with These Different Parkinson's Disease Conditions
Hint: Secondary Parkinsonism is different than Parkinson's disease. Coding Parkinson's di... Read more
Staffing and Training:
Stay Alert to Minimize HIPAA Breaches
Untrained staff are a major source of privacy breaches. As covered entities (CEs), nursin... Read more
Clip and Save:
Keep This Asthma Code Primer for Reference
Learn how to differentiate between different states of asthma. Asthma codes, found in the... Read more
Reader Question:
Capture These New AFib ICD-10 Codes
Question: Did ICD-10 2020 add any new codes for atrial fibrillation? If so, what are ... Read more
Reader Question:
Know When Flu Vaccine Counts for QMs
Question: How does the influenza vaccination show up on quality measures (QMs)? Illinois ... Read more
Reader Question:
Understand this Definition Distinction
Question: When should I code for an acute form of a condition as opposed to a chronic form... Read more
Reader Question:
Understand How RAI Manual Defines Discharge
Question: I don't understand exactly what to count as a discharge. If a resident goes to t... Read more
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