Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® The Alzheimer’s Association released its annual report last week.  The 90-page full report and the infographic are well worth the read. Here’s some quick, sobering facts found in this report: Alzheimer’s Disease is the 6th leading cause of death in the U.S. Between 2000 and…… Continue reading 2019 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures Report Available

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® CMS issued Transmittal 186 – Revisions to State Operations Manual (SOM) Appendix Z, Emergency Preparedness for All Provider and Certified Supplier Types on March 4, 2019.   The first 2 pages of this 53-page document provide summary of changes, revised chapter/section/subsection, etc. with the remaining pages…… Continue reading Revisions to SOM Appendix Z – Emergency Preparedness for All Provider and Certified Supplier Types

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® Looking for some reading material this weekend? A good portion of the country is slated for nasty weather so why not settle in front of the fireplace with some hot cocoa and review 2017 Medicare utilization statistics. These statistics contain trends, demographics, state and other…… Continue reading 2017 Program Statistics Released

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® CMS has posted updates to Appendix Z – Emergency Preparedness. QSO19-06-ALL has a posting date of February 1, 2019.  The updates are effective immediately.  Here are the key points CMS makes in the Discussion section of this Survey & Certification notice (I have bolded the key…… Continue reading Emergency Preparedness – Updates to Appendix Z of the State Operations Manual

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® Updates to Reflect Removal of Functional Reporting Requirements and Therapy – Transmittal 4214/Change Request 11120 was posted on Friday, January 25, 2019.  “The purpose of this Change Request (CR) is to update chapter 5 to reflect recent changes in outpatient therapy service billing instructions and payment…… Continue reading CMS Posts Two Transmittals/One Change Request Impacting Part B Therapy

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® CMS issued a Notice of Final Rule Adjusting Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for Inflation on Tuesday, January 2019.  As noted in the above Memorandum Summary found in QSO 19-04-NH/HHA/CLIA, the new CMP amounts and ranges are effective October 11, 2018. Final Rule – Adjustment of Civil…… Continue reading Notice of Final Rule Adjusting Civil Monetary Penalties (CMPs) for Inflation

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare® The Final Rule for hazardous waste disposal was signed by Environmental Protection Agency Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler on December 11, 2018 however it cannot be published in the Federal Register yet due to the ongoing partial government shutdown. The pre-publication of the unofficial Final Rule…… Continue reading Final Rule – EPA Management Standards for Hazardous Waste Pharmaceuticals