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Eli's Rehab Report

Outpatient Outlook:
How to Juggle Extra Evals in Your Functional Limitation Reporting
You can now report a separate evaluation on a progress report day. As the new function... Read more
Practice Pointers:
Sharpen Your Staffing Knowledge of Contract Therapists and Agencies
Remember: There’s more than one way to contract a therapist. Staffing your thera... Read more
MDS 3.0:
CMS Releases Corrections on Key Parts of Revised RAI Manual
Look for updates on therapy date counting and the ADL Algorithm. Before you’ve h... Read more
Home Health Therapy Documentation:
Avoid HIPPS And F2F Denials With Airtight Documentation
Therapy-targeted medical review can land you in hot water. You need to check that the ... Read more
Business Strategies:
Talk Business With Your Payers -- and Strike Hidden Gold
Tip: Try renegotiating a contract before you cancel it. Do you think that your payers&... Read more
Billing:
Know the Codes Palmetto Is Targeting
HHH Medicare Administrative Contractor Palmetto GBA targeted claims with 2CGK* and 1BGP*... Read more
Reader Question:
Follow These 8 Key Items To Code A Short SNF Stay For Rehab
Question: I did an MDS as a short stay but the RUG category came up as a clinical, not a... Read more
Speech Spotlight:
Catch 4 New Speech Eval CPT® Codes for 2014
SLPs move up the ladder of professional recognition, RVUs. Speech-language pathologist... Read more
Screening or Full Evaluation? Here's How to Tell
Knowing the difference between a screening versus a full evaluation could make a sizeabl... Read more
Coding Corner:
Give a Warm, Wound Care Welcome to 97610
Non-contact, low-frequency ultrasound graduates from Category III status. Wound care s... Read more
MDS 3.0:
Track Distinct Calendar Days of Therapy to Comply with RAI Revisions
Tip: Capture the total number of co-treatment minutes for each therapy type. Therapy u... 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 outpatient... Read more
Time Management:
Make the Most of Your Daily Commute
Take this time to learn something new. Getting to and from your therapy practice and m... Read more
Industry Notes:
Beware Hospital Therapy Billing Change
Watch out for changes to the therapy reimbursement requests you get from hospitals. The ... Read more
Outpatient Outlook:
3 Keys to Troubleshooting Your Functional Limitation Reporting Woes
CMS makes ex post facto clarifications. Functional limitation reporting is in full swi... Read more
Sufficiently Support Your Severity Modifiers
Just as your usual documentation must be bulletproof to support your insurance payments,... Read more
Coding 101:
Know Your Options For Reporting CVA
Tip: Check first whether only one or two different therapy disciplines are at work. If... Read more
ICD-10:
Watch ICD-10 Dominant Side Guidelines With CVA Sequelae
Welcome a robust selection of combination codes. Under ICD-10, coding for the sequelae... Read more
Enforcement:
Brace Yourself: State-Specific Widespread Probe For All Utah Home Health Providers
Gear up for increased scrutiny of claims containing therapy visits. Home health therap... Read more
Lifestyle:
Stress Management: Are You Burning Out?
Ask yourself these 7 questions to see if your flame is flickering. You may think you&r... Read more
Industry Notes
Therapists Must Now Issue ABNs For Therapy Services That Exceed Caps What’s the ... Read more
Reader Question:
Here's What You Can Do To Get Ready For ICD-10
Question: What should we be doing now to prepare for the ICD-10 transition? Answer: ... Read more
Outpatient Outlook:
Therapy Caps Knock on Critical Access Hospitals' Doors
Proposed 2014 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule creates discrepancy between CAHs, regular ... Read more
Quality Reporting:
Get a Leg Up on PQRS Updates -- and Avoid a 2 Percent Payment Cut in 2016
Watch out: Minimum number of measures could shoot through the roof. The proposed Medic... Read more
Modifiers:
Know Which Modifier to Add When You Report G-Codes
Get the latest CMS guidance. Have you been puzzling over whether you need to include a... Read more
Providing Outpatient Therapy? Use These Specialty-Specific Modifiers
The CMS Physical, Occupational & Speech Therapy Billing Guide states (page 68) that ... Read more
Handy CMS Therapy Resource Roundup
CMS Therapy Services Web Page: The CMS Therapy Services home page is located at www.c... Read more
Clip & Save:
4 Strategies For Souping Up Your Website
This advice will help increase the value of your online offerings. A multi-media web s... Read more
Industry Notes
Figure Out Therapy Hold Impact on Home Health Reassessments If therapy holds are tripp... Read more
Reader Question:
Take Advantage of Sequencing Leeway with Status Codes
Question: I’m coding the start of care (SOC) on a patient who was admitted to our ... Read more
Compliance:
Rehab Agencies: Are You Measuring Up to Medicare's Newest Standards?
Get up to speed on CMS’ latest participation guidance from Transmittal 83. Stake... Read more
Rehab Agencies:
Be Alert and Ready When Survey Time Hits
The day may come sooner than you know, thanks to Quad-A involvement. If you’re a... Read more
Home Health Prospective Payment System:
LUPA Rates Go Up While Supplies Rates Decrease
LUPA add-on to get more complicated. Keep track of these tweaks to the home health pro... Read more
Compliance:
Perfect Your Practice's Medical Records With Regular Peer Reviews
Make reviews a team activity to keep everyone on the same page. Therapists know they s... Read more
Staffing Strategies:
Avoid Turf Wars Between HR and Medical Staff Office
Sharing information is the best way to keep patients safer and avoid duplicating work. ... Read more
Clip & Save:
Spot Respiratory Distress -- and Reduce Readmissions -- With This List
Keep distress signs front-and-center in your practice. Recognizing and treating your p... Read more
Industry Notes
Workers’ Health Coverage Deferred Till 2015 If you are a physical therapist who ... Read more
Reader Question:
Consider This Before You Earmark SNF Patients For Outpatient Care
Question: Our hospital offers outpatient therapy and owns a skilled nursing home. The ph... Read more
Reader Question:
Know These Key ICD-10 Differences
Question: What are the main differences between ICD-9 and ICD-10? Answer:Make your tra... Read more
Inpatient Insights:
Catch 2 Key Changes CMS is Brewing for IRF PPS in 2014
Big ouch: Arthritis cases fall under further scrutiny. It’s never too early to p... Read more
G Codes:
Therapists: Make A Note Of This Update From CMS
Are you ready for the July 1 functional limitation reporting cutoff date? If you&rsquo... Read more
Skilled Nursing Facilities:
Document Measurable Objective And Interventions For Restorative Care
Formal therapy needs might arise out of long term stays. Don’t let the specific ... Read more
Skilled Nursing Facilities:
Stop Nursing Documentation From Torpedoing Rehab RUGs
4 ways for nursing and therapists to stay on the same page. If nursing and therapy doc... Read more
O0500 Oops:
Avoid The Most Frequent Blunders
Learn how to properly code for CPM device use. If you’re making these Restorativ... Read more
Staffing Strategies:
Avoid These 5 Most Common Interviewing Errors
An interview is stressful for the job candidate, but what about the interviewer? After a... Read more
Reader Question:
Document -- But Don't Bill -- Re-Evals in Acute Care
Question: I work in an acute-care setting, and I’m wondering how and when my thera... Read more
Outpatient Outlook:
Forget the ABN and YOU Could Foot Your Patient's Therapy Bill
But take care not to use an ABN with a KX modifier. If you haven’t heard the lat... Read more
Inpatient Insights:
Catch Therapy-Specific Changes in the Works for 2014 SNF PPS
CMS wants therapy days vs. therapy visits crystal clear. Heads up: The Centers for Med... Read more
ICD-10 Transition:
Tactics Put You Ahead In The ICD-10 Transition Game
As a physical therapist, you’re right in the crossfire. Being prepared for the O... Read more
Staffing Strategies:
Size Up the Best Candidate With These Surprising Interview Strategies
Gain important clues from watching what the interviewee does with her hands and feet. ... Read more
HIPAA:
Update Your NPP Now -- Don't Wait Until The Last Minute
Make these 5 key changes to your NPP before September. If you don’t update your ... Read more
Human Resources:
Find Out How Well You Know Your Crew
Are your workers in the right positions for their personalities, goals, and skill sets? ... Read more
Reader Question:
Find Out What Justifies 97112
Question: We often bill the code for neuromuscular re-education of movement for our cere... Read more
Reader Question:
Code Correctly with Falls and Fractures
Question: Our patient is a 75 year old lady who has a history of hypertension and no oth... Read more
Reader Question:
Self-Care Training
Question: I just saw a patient who was recently confined to a wheelchair following a car... Read more
Outpatient Outlook:
Surprise: RACs to Perform Manual Medical Reviews for Therapy Claims Over $3700
Experts concerned that RACs get paid extra for every claim they deny. Get ready to dea... Read more
Coding Corner:
Discover a Whole New World of Detail in ICD-10 Coding
New character extensions indicate laterality, spectrum of care, and more. It’s a... Read more
Insurance:
4 Tips Help You Shop Wisely for Your Managed Care Plans
Do your homework now to avoid losing money later. The fact that you and your fellow re... Read more
Business Strategies:
Re-Examine Your Existing Contracts
You’ve read about how to examine managed care plans when you’re shopping the... Read more
Clip & Save:
Sample Form: Eliminate Inconsistency With This Performance Appraisal Checklist
Your employees will thank you for providing this proven tool to improve appraisal effect... Read more
HIPAA Landmines:
Is Your Multifunction Printer Harboring ePHI?
Keep a printer with a large memory out of bounds for unauthorized individuals. Facilit... Read more
Industry Note:
Guard Against Email HIPAA Violations
Don’t be confused by whether changes to the HIPAA privacy rule bar sending unencry... Read more
Industry Note:
Detroit HHA Owner, PT Found Guilty of Fraud
A Detroit-area HHA owner and physical therapist have been found guilty in a $2.3 million... Read more
Reader Question:
Put the Kibosh on Resolved Conditions in M1024
Question: Out home health agency is providing skilled nursing and physical therapy for a... Read more
Reader Question:
Choose the Best Onset Date for Pediatric Patients
Question: I struggle with documenting onset dates with our pediatric cases. For example,... Read more
Reader Question:
Keep Diagnoses in Order for Therapy Patient
Question: Our new home health patient has difficulty ambulating and weakness due to her ... Read more
Reader Question:
School Nurses Aren't Immune to HIPAA
Question: A school nurse recently called our office to request a patient’s physica... Read more
Outpatient Outlook:
Therapy Cap Exceptions Lose Prior Approval Process Under New Interim Guidance
Hold tight: CMS promises a more permanent solution soon. In late February, the Centers... Read more
Coding Corner:
Start Your ICD-10 Training Engines With This Bite-Sized Introduction
Get comfortable with the guidelines and format now, not later. With a myriad of reimbu... Read more
Lifestyle Rehab:
Encourage Your Patients To Adopt Healthy Habits
Motivational interviewing helps patients clarify their health goals. Challenge: Gettin... Read more
Staffing Strategies:
Make Every Performance Appraisal Positive, Productive and Painless
Key: Learn to praise the employee, don’t just criticize. Are performance apprais... Read more
Industry Notes
Therapists Agree to Settlement in Qui Tam Suit Submission of false claims for non-reim... Read more
Reader Question:
Check the Regs for 'Co-Therapy'
Question: Our facility is taking extra care to avoid duplication of services between phy... Read more
Reader Question:
Maintain Good Documentation when Reporting Muscle Weakness
Question: We are a home health agency providing care for a patient with chronic renal fa... Read more
Outpatient Outlook:
Work Out the Kinks in Functional Limitations Reporting Now
CMS clarifies rules and exceptions in Transmittal 2622. Ready to report your Medicare ... Read more
Practice Pointers:
Get Your G-Code Ducks in a Row for the 'Other' Category
If your patient’s limitations don’t fit a G-code description, CMS has a solu... Read more
Life Style Rehab:
Kick The 'Smoke Break' Habit With These 3 Tips
Distribute quick-reference scripts to help employees approach smokers. With more and m... Read more
HIPAA Compliance:
Follow These 'Official' 10 Steps To Protect PHI On Mobile Devices
Check out HHS’ brand new web tools. As you’re trying to catch up with you... Read more
Staffing Strategies:
Perfect Your Interviewing Skills
Use these tips to weed through the noise and find the person best fit for the job. Thi... Read more
Reader Question:
State Laws Dictate Who the Doc Can Supervise
Question: Can a physician bill as a supervising provider when the staff member (in our c... Read more
Reader Question:
Pare Down Your Evaluation Time With a Questionnaire
Question: In our facility, we ask our Medicare patients very detailed ADL questions on t... Read more
Inpatient Insights:
5 Tips Boost Your Pressure Ulcer and CAUTI Quality Measures
Discover hidden ways rehab can make a difference in the nursing realm. Starting last O... Read more
Medicare Reimbursement:
Don't Think Medicare Outpatient Therapy Claims Scrutiny Is Going to Stop
A claim could still be reviewed even if it has been paid. Nursing home providers are i... Read more
Practice Pointers:
Got the High-Tech Fever? Be Prepared to Do Some Homework
Documentation software can be your best friend — or a thorn in your side. If you... Read more
Industry Notes:
Industry Notes:
Overbilling Manual Therapy Claims Lands Maryland Woman in Prison Jacqueline Wheeler of... Read more
Reader Question:
Query Physician with Signs of Delayed Healing
Question: Our home health patient had a total knee replacement. The OASIS Assessment com... Read more
Coding Corner:
Get the Scoop on Terminology Changes in 2013 CPT
AMA expands and clarifies its definition of qualified providers. The good news is that... Read more
Speech Spotlight:
Navigate Recent Tweaks to SLP CPTs
Plus: Practice expense RVUs win some, lose some. Don’t let small, but important ... Read more
Coverage Determinations:
Think Twice About Billing Infrared Therapy Treatments
CMS says no to reimbursing this modality. You may be one of the many therapy clinics t... Read more
Home Health Regulations:
Ensure You Count Therapy Visits Correctly
No coverage of extra visit if reassessment is missed. The Centers for Medicare & M... Read more
Compliance:
Do This If You Suspect Fraud In A Claim
You should be on high alert since therapy billing compliance is in the spotlight. Now ... Read more
Staffing Strategies:
Manage Complaints With The Right Grievance Policy
Warning: If you don’t listen, the feds might. Having a complaints process in pla... Read more
Industry Notes:
Industry Notes:
Beware LUPA Glitch For High Therapy Episodes If you want to receive the roughly $95 yo... Read more
Reader Question:
Know What Supports Inpatient Rehab Care
Question: I’ll be transferring from our acute care facility to work in our in... Read more
Reader Question:
COT OMRA Requirements
Question: If a Change of Therapy (COT) is required and due on Day 15, which is also the ... Read more
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