RE: Request for help - New Manual Changes effective April 22nd?

[Winona M. Phelps]

SNFinfo Connection News Flash April 19, 2004 ****************************************** IN THIS ISSUE: 1. CMS works more changes into RAI User's Manual 2. Keep on top of PPS coding, reimbursement issues ______________________________ TODAY'S NEWS 1. CMS WORKS MORE CHANGES INTO RAI USER'S MANUAL Just this past Friday, representatives from CMS unveiled nearly 20 updates in how nursing homes will fill out the MDS. Participants at the American Association of Nurse Assessment Coordinators conference received a preview of the latest changes and clarifications to the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) User's Manual. CMS spokespeople emphasized the agency's intention is to stop using the old question-and-answer format to clear up MDS coding confusion and instead put everything right in the manual. "Our goal is to design the manual so that it's one-stop shopping," explained Mary Pratt, MSN, RN, from CMS' Center for Beneficiary Choices. Controversial issues to conference attendees included new guidance for coding Section M, skin condition, and item P1ac, IV medications. Expect to see the RAI User's Manual revisions on Thursday, April 22, CMS' deadline for posting them on its Web site. Go to http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/mds20 and click on "Manuals and Forms" to see the updates. ______________________________ 2. KEEP ON TOP OF CODING, REIMBURSEMENT ISSUES SNFs have to be pretty astute to catch all of CMS' changes on filling out the MDS these days. Besides continual updates to the RAI User's Manual, there are also MDS accuracy projects to worry you. The Data Assessment and Verification (DAVE) initiative, quality measures, and survey deficiencies can all highlight your SNF's MDS coding problems. But you don't have to go it alone. A one-year subscription to the monthly newsletter "PPS Alert for Long-Term Care" can help. This 12-page newsletter will keep you in the loop on the latest from CMS, MDS coding guidance, hot spots in accuracy, and tips to get the reimbursement your SNF earns. Take charge of your MDS process with this popular and effective tool, "PPS Alert for Long-Term Care." Go to http://www.hcmarketplace.com/Prod.cfm?id=60&S=ESNFI to order a one-year subscription for only $199. Or call customer service at 800/650-6787. ************************************************** SPONSOR DO AWAY WITH MDS AND BILLING CONFUSION Make life in your SNF easier with our three long-term care pocket guides. The "Long-Term Care Pocket Guide to MDS," the "Long-Term Care Pocket Guide to Part A Billing," and the "Long-Term Care Pocket Guide to Part B Billing" will each save you time and money. All three guides feature a tabbed and condensed format for fast, easy reference to the most important billing and MDS information. They also include the most essential--and often erroneously coded--information on each topic, plenty of charts, tip boxes, checklists, and comprehensive information and highlighted critical concepts that will help ensure proper reimbursement. Arm yourself with the ability to answer billing and MDS questions quickly and prevent mistakes. Go to http://www.hcmarketplace.com/PackageDetail.cfm?package_id=912&s=ESNFI to order or for more information. Or call customer service at 800/650-6787. ************************************************** Go to http://www.hcpro.com/long-term-care/ to find new information on long-term care. And visit our online store at http://www.hcmarketplace.com/Listings.cfm?topic=M1_LTC to see our long-term care information products. ************************************************** Noelle Shough Editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- SNFInfo Connection (c) 2004 HCPro, Inc. 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If you would like further information about any of HCPro's products, including books, seminars, videos, consulting services, or newsletters please visit http://www.hcmarketplace.com YOUR SUBSCRIPTION You are receiving this message as a subscriber to SNFInfo Connection. If you would like to unsubscribe, please visit http://www.hcmarketplace.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED] If you do not have web access, please forward this email to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] and type "Remove [EMAIL PROTECTED]" in the body. --- Copyright 2004 HCPro, Inc., 200 Hoods Lane, Marblehead, MA 01945    -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2004 4:08 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Request for help - New Manual Changes effective April 22nd? Once again, I find myself in a position to need assistance from this wonderful provider organization.   I requested a copy of Mary Pratt's presentation to AANAC several weeks ago, but she did not respond to me.   If anyone has anything in writing or on tape, from CMS,  confirming the date of April 22 for the release of the manual changes, please give it to me so I can give the providers in Virginia some official response.   All RAI Managers were given a set of "proposed final draft" changes last month.  We were told they were for internal use only, and not to distribute them.  We were also told that CMS would use it's policy that says manual changes would be posted the last Monday of the month, whenever changes occurred.    If Mary Pratt has given a date of April 22nd, and if she has released the changes, then I want to get them to my providers as soon as possible.  I don't want Virginians who could not attend the AANAC Conference to be left in the dark over a CMS announcement of this magnitude.   If anyone can help me, please contact me one of these ways:   work:  804-367-2132 email:  [EMAIL PROTECTED] fax:  804-367-2149   There is an all-state call today between CMS and the RAI Managers, so, hopefully she will make any necessary announcements then.  I will report to this list anything she says that we can release.   Thanks again,   Judy Wilhide RAI Manager Virginia