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Eli's Rehab Report

Regulations:
Relax: Your Agency Contracts May Not Take A Hit
But expect agencies to make major therapy changes.If you've been bracing for the 2011 PPS ... Read more
IRFs:
Put Your Readmissions Stats Under The Microscope
Knowing -- and shoring up -- your weak spots will boost your quality outcomes do... Read more
Compliance:
Perfect Your Practice's Medical Records With Regular Peer Reviews
Make reviews a team activity to keep everyone on same page.Therapists know they should be ... Read more
Clinical Rehab Roundup:
Pick This Tool To Improve Patients' Job Performance
Here's how to act on your observations of client behaviors.Evaluation of Social Interactio... Read more
Industry News:
MPPR Makes Final MPFS Cut
Payment cut not as drastic as proposed.The 2011 PPS final rule offered good news in the fo... Read more
Home In On These V Codes
Commit five diagnosis codes to memory.All diagnosis codes were not created equal -- a... Read more
Parkinson's Research Gets $300k Infusion
Exercise intervention will get intense scrutiny.Therapists working with patients who have ... Read more
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Spot Respiratory Distress -- And Reduce Readmissions -- With This List
Keep distress signs front-and-center in your practice.Recognizing and treating your patien... Read more
Correction
Rehab Report takes every measure to ensure the accuracy and relevancy of its articles and ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Too-Consistent Billing Could Make You A Target
Question: Our facility brought in a third-party auditor to scrutinize our coding and billi... Read more
Reader Questions:
Here's How To Dodge Discharge Headaches
Question: A patient was referred for outpatient therapy on August 2 after the home health ... Read more
Regulations:
New Payment Suspension Rules Could Put A Target On Your Back
 New anti-fraud regs increase CMS's reach to combat fraud and abuse.All it will take ... Read more
Practice Pointers:
3 Strategies To Stop Scheduling Conflicts and Cancellations
 Here's how to make it easy for all patients to show up for their appointments.Rampan... Read more
IRFs:
Hone Your Operations Budget to Boost Your Bottom Line
Increase productivity and eliminate excess with this expert advice.Everyone's talking abou... Read more
Clinical Rehab Roundup:
Early Intervention Is Best Approach For Sensory Integration Patients
 Systematic Review of the Research Evidence Examining the Effectiveness of Interventi... Read more
News Briefs:
Relax: You Won't See ICD-9 Overhaul Again After 2011
2011 will be the last time ICD-9 will undergo a large overhaul.CMS has followed through on... Read more
Reader Questions:
Consider This Before You Earmark SNF Patients For Outpatient Care
 Question: Our hospital offers outpatient therapy and owns a skilled nursing home. Th... Read more
Reader Questions:
97760 or 97110: Let L Codes Guide Your Choice
Question: An occupational therapist in our outpatient clinic often creates and customizes ... Read more
Regulations:
Expect HHAs to Limit Therapy Assistant Use
Heed these warning signs before you contract with another agency.Your therapy assistants m... Read more
Strategies:
New Regs Make HHA Contracts Less Attractive
Improve your therapy documentation now to avoid problems later.Any therapists contracting ... Read more
Practice Management:
Attract New Patients With A Well-Networked Web Presence
The old web rules no longer apply.If you don't have a multi-faceted online strategy, you'r... Read more
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4 Strategies For Souping Up Your Website
This advice will help increase the value of your online offerings.A multi-media web strate... Read more
Clinical Rehab Roundup:
Skip Surgery When Treating Spinal Stenosis
Trends, Major Medical Complications, and Charges Associated With Surgery for Lumbar Spinal... Read more
Speech Spotlight:
Better Parkinson's Disease-Related Speech Therapy Is Just A Shout Away
Enlist everyone in the patient's life to reinforce your work.If your patient with Parkinso... Read more
Reader Questions:
Document Total Therapy Time Only
Question: Our therapists aren't sure how to comply with timing documentation. Currently we... Read more
Reader Questions:
Watch The Clock When Performing Simultaneous Services
Question: Our PT recently performed an ultrasound in combination with electrical stimulati... Read more
Trends:
Focus On Outpatient Therapy In Patients' Homes To Reap Big Rewards
Act now on this growing trend - before your competition does.If you aren't providing ... Read more
Practice Strategies:
Here's How To Market Your At-Home Services
Use these strategies to create a booming at-home therapy practice.Just offering in-home th... Read more
Regulations:
Heads Up: Get Ready for Required Measurements and Reassessments
2011 PPS proposed rule cracks down on agencies' therapy use.Are you hearing the wake-up ca... Read more
Pay Attention To These Proposed Therapy Requirements For 2011
If you don't like what you see, make sure your voice is heard.The feds' laundry list of ne... Read more
Fraud & Abuse:
Senate Shines Searing Spotlight On Home Health Therapy
Suspicious changes in home health spark congressional probe.Wondering why the prospective ... Read more
News Briefs:
Illinois Governor Takes A Stand Against Referral-for-Profit
Despite advocacy efforts to the contrary, Illinois state legislature passed a bill that wo... Read more
News Briefs:
Add This Resource To Your Falls Risk Prevention Program
You have an ally in your efforts to protect your patients from falls -- The Joint Com... Read more
News Briefs:
Use 'Wii-Habilitation' To Make Therapy Fun Again
While therapists enjoy their therapy sessions, many patients quickly become bored with the... Read more
Clinical Rehab Roundup:
Combat Infant's Neuromotor Delays With Treadmill Training
Pediatric Physical Therapy, Vol. 22, No. 1Adults aren't the only patients who benefit from... Read more
Reader Question:
Follow These Tips To Evaluate Patients' Falls Risk
Question: I would like to standardize the way we evaluate new patients for falls risks, bo... Read more
Reader Question:
Include Rehab Therapy Assistance Count on MDS 3.0
Question: The practice I work for is struggling to determine when rehab therapy assistance... Read more
Compliance:
Avoid These 2 Major Snares in Healthcare Reform
Know what ACOs are and why they're a threat to you.The Patient Protection and Affordable C... Read more
SNFs:
4 Strategies Help You Manage RUG-IV Rehab Payment Realities
Experts suggest concurrent therapy has a role in these scenarios.RUG-IV changes the playin... Read more
Clinical Rehab Roundup:
Dish More Creative Servings of Play to Your Pediatric Patients' Days
 American Journal of Occupational Therapy, Vol. 64, No. 3Children with sensory proces... Read more
Speech Spotlight:
Power Up Your Stuttering Claims' Reimburse-ability
 Plus: Stay tuned for more stuttering ICD-9s in October.In the last issue, you learne... Read more
Practice Pointers:
Patch the Leaks in Your Workers' Comp Documentation
You'll want to keep records of more than goals and patient progress.You can't afford to mi... Read more
News Briefs:
Congress Works Out Fee Schedule Fix
Extensions to the 2009 Medicare physician fee schedule pay rate have finally run out. On J... Read more
News Briefs:
PTs in Physician Offices: Prepare for More Pressure
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission just suggested a big crackdown on physician-owned... Read more
News Briefs:
FTC Backtracks on Red Flags Rule Deadline Once Again
The Federal Trade Commission can't seem to make up its mind over the enforcement date of i... Read more
Reader Questions:
Get to the Bottom of the 'Aides Treating in Inpatient Rehab' Issue
 Question: The health system I work for says it's OK for our inpatient rehab unit to ... Read more
Reader Questions:
Crack the CPT Code for VitalStim Usage
Question: I'd like to add VitalStim to our therapy services but want to know more about bi... Read more
Compliance:
Brace for Major Compliance Changes in Healthcare Reform
One guilty-until-proven-innocent provision will shutter some blameless providers, expert s... Read more
Correction
Regarding Crank Your Team Conference Quality Up a Notch, in Vol. 17, No. 5, please note th... Read more
Industry Outlook:
Get the Dish on Rehab Trends Experts Predict From Healthcare Reform
Tip: Buyers are hungry if you're looking to sell your practice.If consultants, counsel, an... Read more
Clip and Save:
Adjust Your Appeals Sails Before You Invest the Time and Money
Keep your dollar amounts and deadlines close at hand.With Medicare's Recovery Audit Contra... Read more
Speech Spotlight:
Make Your Stuttering Interventions the Talk of the Town
Learn easy ways to keep business knocking at your door.National Stuttering Awareness Week ... Read more
Clinical Rehab Roundup:
Hospital Therapists: Knock on Your ICU's Doors
Early physical medicine and rehabilitation for patients with acute respiratory failure: a ... Read more
News Briefs:
Cross Your Fingers for a Fee Schedule Fix That Sticks
Tired of your Medicare pay being doomed to drop? If HR 4213 makes it to law, the Medicare ... Read more
News Briefs:
Time's Run Out for Red Flags Rule Compliance
No more putting off your practice's identity theft program. As of June 1, 2010, healthcare... Read more
News Briefs:
New Thera-Band® Resistance Bands Go Latex-Free
Thera-Bands have been a rehab godsend but can spell disaster if your patients have latex a... Read more
News Briefs:
Physical Rehab and Exercise Offers More Than Meets the Eye
Not all patients do their homework, but now you can give them more reasons to stick to an ... Read more
Reader Questions:
SNF Therapists: Know When a New Eval Is Warranted
Question: If a Medicare Part A resident, long or short term, who is receiving therapy serv... Read more
Reader Questions:
Keep Your IRF Therapy Minutes in Line
Question: I'm in an IRF setting, and our Medicare contractor is National Government Servic... Read more
Industry Outlook:
Get the Big-Picture Scoop on Healthcare Reform
Rehab gets a piece of the essential benefits package pie. Listening to the healthcare ref... Read more
Practice Pointers:
Steer Your Auto Insurance Claims to Speedy Reimbursement
Plus, beware a potential payment delay with your Medicare patients. For auto accident reh... Read more
IRFs:
Inject Prowess and Productivity Into Your Team Conferences
Show your Medicare payer the good work your team is really doing. Last month you read abo... Read more
Home Care:
5 Ways to Give Your Agency's Therapy Outcomes -- And Revenue -- a Boost
In predicting therapy use, focus on patient need. Incorporating therapy more consistently... Read more
Clinical Rehab Roundup:
Tune Up Your Older Patients' Stooping, Crouching, Kneeling Difficulties
Decreased muscle strength relates to self-reported stooping, crouching, or kneeling diffi... Read more
News Briefs:
Congress Stretches Fee Schedule Fix a Bit Longer
The monumental healthcare reform legislation was big, but not big enough to fix the physic... Read more
News Briefs:
Bring Entertainment Media Effects to the Rehab Forefront
Have pediatric patients performing poorly in school? Consider having your SLPs, OTs, and a... Read more
News Briefs:
Keep Your OT Staff Numbers Strong
Consider this when hiring new staff: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,empl... Read more
Reader Questions:
Get the Skinny on Serial Casting
Question: I am a physical therapist in private practice, and I have a Medicare patient wh... Read more
Reader Questions:
Sniff Out the Discrepancies in Your SNF Re-Certifications
Question: I need some clarification on Part A Medicare re-certifications in a skilled nur... Read more
Business Strategies:
Get Started on the Right Foot With Your Worker's Comp Patients
The first key steps can make the difference between bank and bust for these claims. Worke... Read more
IRFs:
Crank Your Team Conference Quality Up a Notch
Updating your team conference documentation template can make all the difference. Having ... Read more
Billing:
Use These Tips To Roll Your Worker's Comp Claims in the Right Direction
Don't treat worker's comp like regular health insurance. Calling the employer of a worker... Read more
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Create a Crystal-Clear Job Description for Your Worker's Comp Cases
Open opportunities for an onsite work evaluation, too. You need your facts in line when y... Read more
Billing:
Make Time to Target Untimed Codes on Your Part B Therapy Claims
Don't let the RACs bilk you out of this one example of appropriate billing. RACs are alre... Read more
Clinical Rehab Roundup:
Crank Up Your Assistive Technology Usage in the Schools
Effect of assistive technology in a public school setting. Watson AH, Ito M, Smith RO, An... Read more
News Briefs:
New Health Care Legislation Keeps Exceptions Hope Afloat
Got your sights on March 31 as your therapy cap exceptions expiration date? The monumental... Read more
News Briefs:
RACs Get a Booster Shot From the White House
If Medicare's Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) are raking you over the coals, get ready f... Read more
News Briefs:
MedPAC Puts In-Office Ancillary Exception Under the Microscope
Expect head-butting between therapists who work for physicians and therapists against phys... Read more
Reader Questions:
Keep an Eye on the OT-SLP Crossover Zone
Question: I have a speech-language pathologist who wants to bill for the following CPT co... Read more
Reader Questions:
Know the Green Lights for Billing an Evaluation
Question: I work in a private practice setting, and we just acquired a patient who was ge... Read more
Business Strategies:
Turn Over a New Leaf With Electronic Medical Records
Get an A-Z list of what goes into a technological tune-up. Thinking about scrapping your ... Read more
Tech Tips:
5 Reasons Why 'Getting Technical' With Your Patient Records Pays Off
The hard work and hassle of ditching paper documentation is not in vain. If you haven't w... Read more
Inpatient Insights:
Nail Down New Ways to Handle IRF Coverage Criteria
Get crafty with CMS timeframe requirements by flagging your charts. Still treading water ... Read more
Home Health:
3 Steps Standardize Your Documentation and Stop Denials in Their Tracks
Painting a complete therapy picture could prevent $1,100 losses -- and more. If you ... Read more
CLINICAL REHAB ROUNDUP:
Welcome a New Baseline Standard for Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema Care
Randomized control trial of the Breast Cancer Recovery Program © for women with bre... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
Therapists Dodge Caps, Fee Schedule Cuts a Little Longer
Feeling Medicare therapy cap and fee schedule woes? The Temporary Extension Act of 2010 (H... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
Add Sedative Hypnotics to Your List of Fall Risks
When you're evaluating your geriatric patients for fall risks, raise a red flag if they me... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
See How You Can Lend a Hand to Haiti
As the dust settles over devastated Haiti, you may have heard that one of the country's bi... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Don't Get Modifier GN-Happy in the Hospital Setting
Question: I am a director of rehab in a hospital setting, and I oversee a busy endoscopy ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS :
Get the Skinny on Occurrence Codes
Question: I'm in a hospital outpatient setting, and my billing and medical record departm... Read more
IRFs:
Get Answers to Your Biggest IRF Coverage Criteria Questions
CMS elaborates nitty-gritty details of Transmittal 119. The new coverage criteria that hi... Read more
Outpatient Billing:
Put Your Rehab Coding and Billing Knowledge to the Test
This quick quiz will show you where you fall. Want to stay polished on your coding and bi... Read more
SNFs:
Ramp Up Your Wheelchair Program Into Best Practice Territory
Prevent skin breakdown and positioning problems while enhancing quality of life. A wheelc... Read more
Coding Corner:
Heads Up: CPT Tweaked Strapping Codes for 2010
Call your payer to hash out reimbursement issues. Enjoying those well-paying strapping co... Read more
CLINICAL REHAB ROUNDUP:
Gain Confidence in Prescribing Cardiac Rehab
Relationship between cardiac rehabilitation and longterm risks of death and myocardial in... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
Say Hello to Therapy Caps -- And Watch That Conversion Factor
Therapists were left hanging over therapy cap exceptions at the end of 2009 when Congress ... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
Feds Roll Out EHR Standards -- Ensure Your Piece of the Incentive Pie
Fuzzy on where the government is going with electronic health records? On Dec. 30, 2009, t... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
POPTS Try to Squeeze Back Into South Carolina
The topic of physician ownership of physical therapy services (POPTS) is raising heat in S... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Know What You Can -- and Can't -- Include in Wound Care Charges
Question: We provide wound care services in my outpatient rehab clinic. Can we use any ot... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Don't Stretch Your Cardiac Rehab Supervision Limits
Question: I am starting a hospital outpatient cardiac rehab department in a small rural t... Read more
Practice Pointers:
Say Hello to PQRI 2010 -- And See What'sCooking For 2011
Good news: SLPs and audiologists get measures to report this year. The 2010 Medicare Phys... Read more
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Round Up Your 2010 PQRI Measures With This Easy Chart
Check out the new measures for SLPs. Are you eligible to participate in the Physician Qua... Read more
Inpatient Insights:
3 Ways to Crank Up Your IRF's Physician Documentation
Use these tips to stay one step ahead of the new IRF coverage criteria. As you charge ful... Read more
SNFs:
Avoid This Trap: A Mismatch Between the MDS and Therapy Eval
Get nursing and therapy on the same page with takeaways from this case study. With the Re... Read more
CLINICAL REHAB ROUNDUP:
Try Something New for Your Pediatric Patients With Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy
Research is showing promise for CIMT. Bound for Success: A Systematic Review of Constrain... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
Conversion Factor Gets Saved By a Thread
Therapists getting paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule got some last-minute luc... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
APTA Makes a Move on Practice Expense Rates
Ready for more up-to-date practice expense rates in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule? T... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
Get More Specific With Your ABNs
Having a hard time distinguishing your voluntary Advance Beneficiary Notices from your req... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
Red Flags Rule Goes on Hold Once More
If you've been stretched to the max, unable to write an identity theft prevention program ... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Set the Record Straight: Supervision in the Outpatient Hospital Setting
Question: I've just landed a job directing an offsite, hospital-based rehab facility, and... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Call Your Insurance Company's Bluff With the Right Information
Question: I am a speech-language pathologist in private practice who specializes in pedia... Read more
Inpatient Insights:
Buckle Down for a Whirlwind of IRF Admission Changes
You have your work cut out for you, but the door is open for more business. You saw the b... Read more
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Take a Big-Picture Look at Your IRF's Documentation To-Dos
Know this list, and you're on the road to solid reimbursement. In the previous article, y... Read more
Home Health:
Dispel These 2 Common V57.x Myths
Make sure you don't upcode for proximate cause. When you're coding for therapy in a home ... Read more
CLINICAL REHAB ROUNDUP:
Check In With Your Patient's Fear Factor Before Treating
Screening for elevated levels of fear-avoidance beliefs regarding work or physical activi... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
Educate Your Patients About These Fall Risks
You may be surprised at what's tripping up your older patients. The Journal of the America... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
House Takes a Swing at Medicare Cuts -- For Years to Come
A longer-term lifeboat for your 2010 Medicare pay is broaching the horizon. On Nov. 19, th... Read more
NEWS BRIEFS:
Senate Bill Covers Therapy Hot Spots in Health Reform Package
Health care reform is covering topics that affect rehab providers directly. After signific... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Clinging to MD Approval? Check This Out
Question: Our hospital billing and medical departments say that diagnoses we add to a cla... Read more
READER QUESTIONS:
Do This Before You Bill Secondary Insurance
Question: I am an OT in private practice, and I'd like to bill Medicare to get a denial o... Read more
Available Years:  2010  2009  2008  2007  2006  2005  2004  2003  2002  2001  2000