OIG’s FY17 work plan will investigate quality and Medicare billing accuracies in skilled nursing facilities

The Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) FY17 work plan has been released and its proposed sections align with the new/revised CMS Medicare guidelines. Some of the work plan’s sections promise to address areas of continual concern, such as unnecessary or fraudulent ultra-high therapy claims made by SNFs, while other areas of the plan will address providers’ compliance with the Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI) program.

OASIS-C2 guidance updated

The guidance manual for the OASIS-C2 version of the OASIS data set, effective January 1, 2017, has been reposted in the Downloads section on the CMS site. CMS has added a Paperwork Reduction Act disclosure statement per the Office of Management and Budget. There have been no changes to the item-specific guidance or other sections.

The Joint Commission and CDC conduct study to help reduce nursing home infection rates

The overall goal of a 12-month study being conducted by The Joint Commission’s Department of Health Services Research is to prevent health-care associated infections that occur in nursing homes. The study is supported by a research contract from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative.

NQF endorses only recognized long term and post-acute care customer satisfaction measures in the nation

On December 7, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) announced that its “CoreQ,” a system of three surveys used to measure individual experience with staff, care, discharge needs, and overall customer satisfaction in long term and post-acute care, was endorsed by the National Quality Forum (NQF).

Hospice RNs earning higher pay than home health RNs

According to the Hospital & Healthcare Compensation Service, which publishes nine annual compensation reports and conducts custom marketplace studies for clients, has recently released a report showing that hospice nurses receive a higher hourly and visit rate than home health nurses.

Workplace violence rates higher in residential care facilities, OSHA to address

In a request for information published December 7, 2016, OSHA reports that in 2014, residential care facilities’ workplace-violence-related injury rates were 11 times higher than other sectors in the healthcare industry. Supporting data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses.

Upcoming CMS Events

Monday, December 19, 3:00pm ET - MACRA Summary & the QPP Program: Considerations in Electing MIPS vs. APMs

December 16, 20, and 21, 12 – 1pm ET - MACRA 101 Webinar Series

Monday, December 19, 3 – 4:30pm ET - Quality Payment Program: Electing MIPS vs. APMs Webinar

Thursday, January 12, 1:30 – 3pm ET - IRF-PAI Therapy Information Data Collection Call

Tuesday, January 17, 1:30 – 3pm ET - ESRD QIP: Payment Year 2020 Final Rule Call

Wednesday, January 18, 8:30am – 4:30pm ET - Hospice Quality Reporting Program Provider Training

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