Re: certified beds - scattered

[Corey]

I was the one who indicated that my previous facility insisted that the state said that as long as you weren't billing for more than the allotted number of Medicare beds, no one would get too upset and not to worry about it.  This may have been simply to help out the facility who was in so much trouble with the state at that time, they didn't get too upset about the little stuff.    There was a "distinct part" of 47 beds.  However, a number of those 47 folks not only needed skilled care (therapy usually) but were sufficiently out there that they needed a locked unit and/or the special skills of the staff for dealing with psychiatrically disturbed patients as well.  There were 3 or 4, and the administrator called the state (what department, I don't know - administrator was fired about 1 month before I was and don't know where he is anymore).  The state (Michigan) said that if they were not billing for more than the number of allowed skilled pts., they didn't really care as long as there was a good reason and it was reflected in the notes.   Corey ----- Original Message ----- From: Linda Budde To: AANAC list Sent: Wednesday, November 26, 2003 10:20 AM Subject: certified beds - scattered This may be after-the-fact, but I remember breezing through some posts this week discussing the billing of 47 residents if you had 47 Medicare certified beds, and the FI didn't care where they were at.   We are a distinct part, and I had never heard of this.  Thought I'd mention I was just reading in an older bulletin from AAHSA (August 4, 2003) discussing some areas of the final update for PPS.  One was on distinct part definitions.  It states that "CMS maintains the restriction in designating beds in a distinct part. CMS insists that beds in a distinct part be identified as an entire or contiguous wing, floor or building.  CMS specifically indicates that beds may not be scattered and that prior approval of a distinct part is required with no exceptions."  You can view the report on AAHSA's web site. I apologize if this issue was already resolved.  Thanks! Linda Budde, RN Reimbursements Friendly Acres, Inc. Do you Yahoo!? Free Pop-Up Blocker - Get it now