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 results of recent recovery audit contractor (RAC) automated reviews of hospital services were outlined in the January 2013 Medicare Quarterly Provider Compliance Newsletter, Volume 3, Issue 2 . Among the hot topics discussed was a significant issue for physician providers: the RACs identified that inappropriate current procedural terminology (CPT) codes were being assigned for related professional evaluation and management (E/M) services “rendered in swing bed facilities (with nursing facility levels of care)” in the same episode of care as an acute inpatient stay, when the patient was not “on a leave of absence from the hospital.” Specifically, inpatient hospital CPT codes, i.e
As last reported, the long-term care (LTC) merger & acquisition (M&A) market had a record year in 2011 in terms of transaction volume, reporting approximately 74 percent more transactions than the annual average for the previous three years. Although 2011 was a tough year to follow for LTC M&A, the first quarter of 2012 started strong, matching the same period in 2011 with 39 reported transactions.