Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) October Forum Materials Available Now

Posted in Hospice, INDUSTRY NEWS

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare On Tuesday, October 19, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) hosted the October 2021 HQRP Forum to provide information on the new Quality Measure (QM) Specifications User’s Manual v1.00 and the two new claims-based measures included in the Manual. Materials from this HQRP Forum,…… Continue reading Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) October Forum Materials Available Now

LUPA Add-on Amounts for Home Health Occupational Therapy Visits and Corrections to Payment Grouping Processes

Posted in Home Care, INDUSTRY NEWS

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS “re-communicated” Transmittal 10919 … Change Request 12315 on November 8, 2021. It was issued initially back on August 6, 2021. This change request makes changes to Original Medicare systems to allow for LUPA add-on payments to apply if an occupational therapy visit is the first…… Continue reading LUPA Add-on Amounts for Home Health Occupational Therapy Visits and Corrections to Payment Grouping Processes

CMS Updates COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for HC Providers/Suppliers Infographic

Posted in COVID-19, Senior Living

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP  Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted an updated IFC-6 Infographic: Note that the 1st or One-Dose Vaccine requirement has been updated since the original slide deck was provided last Thursday (November 4, 2021). To compare, check out my blog from Monday of this week in which I point out…… Continue reading CMS Updates COVID-19 Vaccination Requirements for HC Providers/Suppliers Infographic

Update to the FINAL Version of the Java PDPM Grouper (MDS 3.0)

Posted in INDUSTRY NEWS, Long-Term Care

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare This November 8, 2021 posting is found on the MDS 3.0 Technical Information website:  An update to the FINAL version of the Java PDPM Grouper, v.2.0 has been posted in the Downloads section below. This update to SNF addresses two issues. It corrects a logic issue…… Continue reading Update to the FINAL Version of the Java PDPM Grouper (MDS 3.0)

CALTCM White Paper on Nursing Home Staffing

Posted in INDUSTRY NEWS, Long-Term Care

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The California Association of Long Term Care Medicine (CALTCM) “is the medical voice for long term care in California. Our public policy committee developed this White Paper with the intention of making recommendations based on evidence-based literature. CALTCM’s Board of Directors approved this White Paper.  It…… Continue reading CALTCM White Paper on Nursing Home Staffing

Updated Agenda: Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum on November 10, 2021

Posted in Home Care, INDUSTRY NEWS

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The next Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, November 10, 2021 PM at 2:00-3:00 PM Eastern Time (ET). Please call at least 15 minutes prior to the forum start time. **This Agenda is Subject to Change** Opening Remarks Chair –…… Continue reading Updated Agenda: Home Health, Hospice & DME Open Door Forum on November 10, 2021

Additional Resources for OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS

Posted in COVID-19, Senior Living

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS is a 28 minute, 27 second YouTube video that will help you understand OSHA’s latest ETS. COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS Frequently Asked Questions is another resource for answers. Another repository of the OSHA ETS information is found here: The…… Continue reading Additional Resources for OSHA’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS

Additional Resources for OSHA COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS

Posted in COVID-19, Senior Living

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare OSHA has provided a Summary: COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS for information about the COVID-19 ETS. “Employers are required to comply with safety and health standards promulgated by OSHA or by a state with an OSHA-approved state plan…this summary is not itself a standard or regulation…… Continue reading Additional Resources for OSHA COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing ETS

Omnibus COVID-19 HC Staff Vaccination: CMS-3415-IFC

Posted in COVID-19, Senior Living1 Comment

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Interim Final Rule with Comment was published in the Federal Register on Friday, November 5, 2021.  The official published version is 73 pages in length. On page 61574 of the IFC, you’ll find this chart: I provided the hyperlinks…… Continue reading Omnibus COVID-19 HC Staff Vaccination: CMS-3415-IFC