In accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the Secretary of Health and Human Services issued a report to Congress on April 11, 2012, addressing a plan to reform the Medicare wage index methodology.
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 U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is attempting to reduce active military and veteran health care costs by reducing reimbursement to sole community hospitals (SCHs) for inpatient services provided to TRICARE beneficiaries