Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare On November 20, 2020, CMS posted Transmittal 10469 for Medicare contractors to update the claims processing system with the new Calendar Year (CY) 2021 Medicare rates. This Recurring Update applies to Chapter 3, Sections 10.3, 20.2 and 20.6 of the Medicare General Information, Eligibility, and Entitlement…… Continue reading Update to Medicare Deductible, Coinsurance and Premium Rates for CY 2021

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Wednesday, November 18, kicks off U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week 2020 and CDC encourages you to get involved! Antibiotics can save lives and are critical tools for treating infections, including those that can lead to sepsis. However, any time antibiotics are used—in people, animals, or crops—they can…… Continue reading U.S. Antibiotic Awareness Week (USAAW) 2020

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS will retire the original Compare Tools on December 1st. Use Medicare.gov’s Care Compare to find and compare health care providers. In early September, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released Care Compare on Medicare.gov, which streamlines our eight original health care compare tools.…… Continue reading CMS to Retire the Original Compare Tools on December 1st

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare This CDC toolkit is intended to assist post-acute and long-term care (LTC) facility owners and administrators with improving vaccination coverage among their healthcare personnel (HCP). The toolkit outlines the importance of influenza vaccination for HCP, provides strategies for increasing influenza vaccination coverage among HCP, and describes…… Continue reading Influenza Vaccination Among Healthcare Personnel

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The 2019 Profile of Older Americans is a very interesting read.   The report is 26 pages in length.  The Profile of Older Americans is an annual summary of critical statistics related to the older population in the United States. Relying primarily on data offered by the…… Continue reading 2019 Profile of Older Americans

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The purpose of this Change Request (11954) Change Request (CR) is to make the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) aware of the policies and procedures for enrolling HIT suppliers in Medicare. Enrollment will begin on or after November 1, 2020. Payments will begin on or after January…… Continue reading Update to Chapter 10 of Pub. 100-08 – Enrollment Policies for Home Infusion Therapy (HIT) Suppliers

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The TAKE Care Therapeutic Activity Kit is an evidence-based system of “first-line, non-pharmacological interventions” designed to help elderly patients with cognitive decline in multiple settings, including long-term care, who are having or are at risk of having agitation/disruptive behaviors.  Use the TAKE Care Kit to address…… Continue reading TAKE Care Therapeutic Activity Kit – Dementia Care

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Handwashing with soap and water is one of the simplest and most effective ways to stop the spread of germs and to protect the lives of your loved ones. Global Handwashing Day occurs each year on October 15. It highlights the importance of handwashing with soap…… Continue reading Global Handwashing Day – Wash Your Hands Frequently Today and Every Day

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) states every facility that conducts COVID-19 testing is considered a laboratory and must be certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA). If your facility is not CLIA certified, view this 4-page quick-start guide to learn…… Continue reading Quick Start Guide to CMS CLIA Certification

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare MedPAC announces the release of the updated 2020 Medicare Payment Basics series. Payment Basics is a series of brief overviews of how Medicare’s payment systems function. The Commission produces Payment Basics as a resource for policymakers and others to better understand how Medicare pays for health…… Continue reading 2020 Medicare Payment Basics Series