As patients begin to receive new, social security number-less Medicare cards, your agency will benefit from taking several steps to ease your administrative burden as the slow-rolling initiative officially commences. Medicare beneficiaries on hemodialysis often are not given access to hospice care, according to a June 4, 2018 study published in Health Affairs. During the last year of life, patients only about 20% enrolled in hospice, and they only spent five or six days in hospice care. The study found that the findings “signal the need for greater flexibility in the provision of end-of-life care in this population.” CMS is warning insurance providers to watch prescriptions of Neudexta for off-label use. Neudexta is a prescription meant to treat symptoms of pseudobulbar affect (PBA), which can cause uncontrollable laughter or crying. As CNN reports, prescribing for off-label use is not illegal, but creating a false diagnosis in order to secure coverage of the prescription is fraud. Father’s Day is a great opportunity to engage your male residents and their families. Assisted living and other senior communities can plan a brunch, which usually involves a joint effort between the dietary department and activities department. Create invitations and mail them to adult children (or primary contact) and invite them to brunch. Include an RSVP to ensure an adequate count for food. Provide the list of attendees to support staff who can be sure residents are aware and ready for visitors. The evolving post-acute care industry landscape introduces greater accountability, a heightened focus on patient outcomes, and significant payment reform for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). Building solid processes and systems is critical for staying compliant under the numerous Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulatory changes effective at the beginning of each new fiscal year. New in the June issue of PPS Alert for Long-Term Care... Understanding RAI: Resident-centered care in a data- and payment-driven industry SNFs must provide quality care to residents in a field that is being suffocated by regulation and paperwork, and that is placing ever-increasing importance on data. The key is to ensure the data does not eclipse the care. SNFs must adhere to the principle that putting residents first will improve quality measures, increase reimbursement rates, and ensure a successful survey. Enhancing resident care will then give a facility the reputational excellence it needs to fill its beds. Not a subscriber? Sign up here. Monthly In-Service: June issue of CNA Training Advisor Malnutrition and Dehydration Click here to receive a new lesson plan every month, including course materials, a 4-page in-service, and a quiz targeted to address the unique needs, interests, and concerns of CNAs. Education and Training Tools Eliminate medication issues to avoid regulatory citations Prepare for hundreds of ICD-10 code changes coming October 1 for home health OASIS-D Is coming: Prepare your clinicians today Achieve better compliance through service contract review | | Product Spotlight At HCPro, we help your organization make faster, better decisions by connecting your challenges and questions to an unrivaled network of experts, resources, and solutions. With a shared-cost membership, you can expect world-class thinking and advice without having to worry about the meter running or expensive consulting fees. An all-encompassing offering, PROPELAdvisory Services is available in six domains, with more on the way. Our growing family includes memberships in Medicare, long-term care, clinical documentation improvement, medical staff, coding, and revenue cycle management. Click here to learn more, or contact us at: 615-724-7213 | [email protected] |
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