I am in the process of trying to determine why the FI denied services for OT, PT & Speech. The comment was "usage guidelines not met". So I went to the most recent CMS Pub 100-02 Medicare Benefit Policy Transmittal 34. This transmittal is effective June 6, 2005.
I was totally surprised to read the examples regarding the practice of Occupational Therapy: The selection and teaching of task-oriented therapeutic activities designed to restore physical function; e.g. use of woodworking activities on an inclined table to restore shoulder, elbow and wrist range of motion lost as a result of burns; Teaching a patient with a hip fracture/hip replacement techniques of standing tolerance and balance to enable the patient to perform such functional activities as dressing and homemaking tasks. Then it went on to state that a qualified occupational therapist is defined as "eligible for the National Registration Examination of the American Occupational Therapy Association". Several questions came to mind after reading this and sharing this information with a fellow OT. How old is the definition of our services use by Medicare? Do the FI's really base their decision on these descriptors? Am I the only one who thinks these examples are out dated and the eligible for exam is incorrect? Dudi Wittwer, O.T.R. Manager, Rehab Services Bay Area Hospital 1775 Thompson Road Coos Bay, Oregon 97420 [EMAIL PROTECTED] (541) 269-8003 -- Unsubscribe? [EMAIL PROTECTED] Change options? www.otnow.com/mailman/options/otlist_otnow.com Archive? www.mail-archive.com/[email protected] Help? [EMAIL PROTECTED]
