Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare    CMS posted Admin Info: 22-06-ALL on Thursday, March 10, 2022.  This is a 27-page Memorandum. Every year, CMS conducts a formal assessment of each State Survey Agencies’ (SAs’) performance relative to measures included in the SPSS program. CMS works with the SAs to strengthen oversight so…… Continue reading FY2022 State Performance Standards System (SPSS) Guidance Released

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare FYI: CMS posted Transmittal 205/R205SOMA on March 11, 2022.  This is a 5-page Transmittal. Instructions and categories begin on page 3.

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) discovered an error in measure calculations for the Ventilator Liberation Rate measure in the provider preview reports previously issued on January 26, 2022, related to the March 2022 refresh of Care Compare, for the reporting period July 01,…… Continue reading LTCH Provider Preview Reports Related to the March 2022 Care Compare Refresh Have Been Reissued and are Now Available

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) discovered an error in measure calculations for the IRF Functional Outcome Measure: Change in Mobility Score for Medical Rehabilitation Patients (NQF #2634) and IRF Functional Outcome Measure: Discharge Mobility Score for Medical Rehabilitation Patients (NQF #2636) measures in…… Continue reading IRF Provider Preview Reports Related to the March 2022 Care Compare Refresh Have Been Reissued and are Now Available

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Learn about 2022 regulation changes to payment, quality, and policy for: Acute care hospitalHospiceSkilled nursing facilityAmbulatory surgical centerHospital outpatientInpatient psychiatric facilityInpatient rehabilitation facilityLong-term care hospitalDurable medical equipment, prosthetics, orthotics, & supplies (New)Home health This Medicare Payment Systems educational tool explains how each service type payment system…… Continue reading Medicare Payment Systems MLN Educational Tool Revised

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The CDC posted the 2022 Recommended Adult Immunization Scheduleon February 17, 2022. Vaccine-specific changes in the 2022 immunization schedule for adults aged ≥19 years include new or updated ACIP recommendations for hepatitis B vaccine (HepB) (2), influenza vaccine (3), pneumococcal vaccines (4), recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV)…… Continue reading 2022 Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare It’s easy to lose sight that we’re in flu season when we’re up to our eyeballs battling COVID-19.  It is indeed flu season and here’s the current stats: We’ve seen worse maps for the past 23 months – lots of red on the COVID-19 maps.  Still,…… Continue reading Anybody Remember That This is Flu Season?

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Friday, February 18th is just around the corner. This blog is to give you the heads-up regarding this important day. No, it’s not a Federal or state holiday nor a Hallmark moment but a day to honor caregivers who silently and selflessly give of themselves every…… Continue reading National Caregivers Day – Friday, February 18, 2022

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The February 10, 2022 Federal Register includes the announcement of the opening of a docket to obtain comment on the proposed clinical practice guideline, CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids—United States, 2022. “The clinical practice guideline updates and expands the  CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids…… Continue reading Proposed 2022 CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare National Caregivers Day, a reminder of the importance of protecting those who protect us ONAGA, KS ‒ Amid the pandemic, U.S. healthcare workers experienced a staggering 249 percent increase in injury and illness rates in 2020 while serving those in need. In fact, workers in the healthcare and social assistance…… Continue reading U.S. Department of Labor Urges HC Facilities and Providers to Employ Effective Safety and Health Programs