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Friday, August 30, 2019

Best of Week

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New Networking Event: Post-Acute Care Forum

This event is specifically designed for decision-makers at skilled nursing facilities and home health agencies (Manager, Director, Owners/Operators, or VP), who have projects in the pipeline and are actively sourcing solutions. Apply Here

Home Health

CMS releases materials from webinar on APU/market basket increases

CMS has released post-training materials, including a Q&A document, following a recent webinar entitled “Achieving a Full Annual Payment Update (APU)/Market Basket Increase.” During the webinar, CMS discussed: The relationship between the APU and quality reporting Data submission requirements. The reconsideration process for providers identified as noncompliant. Related links: View a video recording of the …

Skilled Nursing Facility

CMS releases SNF Provider Preview Reports

CMS recently released the updated SNF Provider Preview Reports. Based on quality data submitted by SNFs, the reports include assessment-based quality measures recorded between Q1 2018 and Q4 2018 and claims-based quality measures recorded between Q4 2016 and Q3 2018. SNFs have the opportunity to review their performance data until September 16. While corrections to …

Featured Product

Monthly In-Service: August issue of CNA Training Advisor

Understand nutrition, feeding assistance, and mechanically altered diets. Get the latest issue to receive a new lesson plan, including course materials, a 4-page in-service, and a quiz targeted to address the unique needs, interests, and concerns of CNAs.

Post-Acute

CMS reminds providers to use submit claims using SSN-free Medicare cards

Agencies have about four months to ensure they submit all claims using new Medicare beneficiary identifiers (MBIs). Providers will be required to use those MBIs on claims beginning Jan. 1, 2020. CMS completed all seven waves of its mailings earlier this year, and the push to transition to the new MBIs is ongoing. The federal …

Hospice

Reminder: Updated hospice payment rates, wage index to take effect Oct. 1

Payment rates for hospice care, the hospice cap amount, and the hospice wage index updates finalized in the 2020 hospice payment rule will take effect Oct. 1, and CMS has released a transmittal and MLN matters article on the changes. CMS finalized rate increases for continuous home care, general inpatient care and inpatient respite care. …