On May 9, 2013, the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Open Door Forum announced upcoming updates to the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) manual. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted the new RAI manual version 1.10 and change tables on May 20
The long-term care (LTC) mergers and acquisitions (M&A) market had an outstanding year in 2012, generating 189 deals worth $9.2 billion. The high transaction volume for the year makes 2012 the most active year in LTC M&A since the late 1990s, with approximately 60 percent more transactions than the annual average over the previous four years.
Recent changes to Medicare Part A mean skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) and their therapists must remain vigilant to make sure therapy services are provided consistently. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services clarified an End of Therapy Other Medicaid Required Assessment (OMRA) must be completed for Medicare Part A patients who miss three consecutive days of therapy services, using an assessment reference date (ARD) of the first, second or third day after the last therapy treatment. The approaching holidays may create difficulties delivering therapy services on a regular schedule as therapy staff take time off or skilled residents spend extra time with family.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued proposed rules to update the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) prospective payment rates and quality incentive program (QIP) and ambulance fee schedules, as well as proposed changes to the definition of Durable Medical Equipment (DME). CMS projects payment rates for dialysis treatments will increase by 1.8 percent, representing a projected inflation (or ESRD market basket) increase of 3 percent, less a projected productivity adjustment of 1.2 percent as required by statute, effective for dialysis treatments furnished for calendar year 2012.