Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare This Information is intended for nursing home Administrators, Directors of Nursing, Minimum Data Set (MDS) Nurses, residents, families, and other interested parties related to the changes to the reconsideration process and scheduling of the MDS 3.0 in Minnesota. The 2021 CMR Program Statute Changes webinar recording…… Continue reading Minnesota LTC Providers: 2021 CMR Program Statute Changes (Recording)

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare As a contracted provider of services for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the responsibilities of your organization are vital to the health and safety of Texans, especially during the ongoing pandemic. HHSC understands that the pandemic affects providers in many ways, including impacts on…… Continue reading Texas Providers: COVID-19 Impact Survey – Your Participation Counts

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering a web-based training course that provides an overview of the assessment and coding of K0200: Height and Weight and K0500: Nutritional Approaches. This 30-minute course is intended for providers in Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs) and is…… Continue reading NEW TRAINING AVAILABLE – Section K: Height, Weight and Nutritional Approaches for SNF Providers

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare “GAO was asked to examine SNF staffing and rates of critical incidents. This report [published August 9, 2021 … 63 pages; Highlights found here] examines (among other objectives): SNF performance on staffing measures, CMS reporting of staffing information on Care Compare, and Medicare payments for critical…… Continue reading GAO Report: Additional Reporting on Key Staffing Information and Stronger Payment Incentives Needed for Skilled Nursing Facilities

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and Iowa Medicaid Enterprise (IME) issued INFORMATIONAL LETTER NO. 2258-MC-FFS on August 6, 2021. Provisions of the 2021 Iowa Acts, House File (HF) 891, Section 31, required the IME to implement an increase to nursing facility rates effective July 1,…… Continue reading Iowa Nursing Facility Reimbursement Rates

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and Iowa Medicaid Enterprise (IME) issued a correction to INFORMATIONAL LETTER NO. 2257-MC-FFS after business hours on Friday, August 6, 2021. This updated document contains the correct link for grant applications. For the complete requirements and for interested qualified…… Continue reading Correct Link for Civil Money Penalty Quality Improvement Initiative (CMPQII) Grant

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) and Iowa Medicaid Enterprise (IME) issued INFORMATIONAL LETTER NO. 2257-MC-FFS on August 6, 2021. The purpose of this Informational Letter is to announce the availability of the CMPQII Grants for 2021. Section 1919 of the Social Security Act and Iowa…… Continue reading 2021 Civil Money Penalty Quality Improvement Initiative (CMPQII) Grant

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP  Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The submission deadline for the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) is approaching. MDS assessment data for January 1 – March 31 (Q1) of CY 2021 is due with this submission deadline. All data must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on August…… Continue reading SNF QRP August 16, 2021 Submission Deadline Reminder

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare This was the agenda for the ODF yesterday: FY 2022 SNF PPS Final RuleHealth Equity in LTC regulationsRural Emergency Hospitals – Request for InformationModernizing CMS Payment Softwarehttps://www.cms.gov/files/document/medicare-modernization-payment-software.pdf  iQIES user researchPBJ reminderPolicy Questions should be sent to NHStaffing@cms.hhs.govTechnical Issues/Questions should be sent to iqies@cms.hhs.govPBJ Website: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/NursingHomeQualityInits/Staffing-Data-Submission-PBJ.html If you want to…… Continue reading What Happened During the August 5th SNF/LTC Open Door Forum

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The next CMS Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF)/Long Term Care (LTC) Open Door Forum scheduled for:   Date:  Thursday, August 5, 2021 Start Time:  2:00 PM – 3:00 PM Eastern Time (ET) This call will be Conference Call Only. To participate by phone: Dial: 1-888-455-1397 & Conference…… Continue reading SNF/LTC Open Door Forum Agenda Updated