Re: Certifications

[Caralyn Davis]

Melissa, I think the change your sister facility is talking about is for Part B outpatient therapy.   CMS modified the physician visit requirement for outpatient Part B therapy services in transmittal 5 (www.cms.gov/manuals/pm_trans/R5BP.pdf), updating sections 220 and 230 of chapter 15, "Covered Medical and Other Health Services," of the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual. Originally, the manual read that the physician must see the patient every 30 days prior to certification of the further need for therapy treatment. That has been changed from 30 days to 60 days for the initial visit and 30 days thereafter. See transmittal 5 for more details, but note that the change involves the visits not the rules for certification.The rules for certification have not changed. Apparently a lot of therapy providers have been confused by that-Caralyn         ----- Original Message ----- From: Hixenbaugh, Melissa To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Org (E-mail) Sent: Tuesday, April 06, 2004 10:16 AM Subject: Certifications Hello All,         Does anyone know if the physician certs for the therapy plan of care been changed?  I am asking because a sister facility told me that we could do them every 60 days.  In my facility we do them every 30 days.  Can someone point me the the information?                                                             Melissa Melissa Hixenbaugh RN,RAC-C  ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) "You must always see with the heart. And after, you will live forever in the stars" "You only see the important things with the heart...not the eyes. Or the head"