Payment Reform

By Nancy J Beckley, MS, MBA, CHC

Contact: nancy@nancybeckley.com

During the Public Health Emergency (PHE) and COVID-19 Pandemic therapy providers were relieved to find that the CMS Targeted Probe and Educate (TPE) audits were suspended. This came about when outpatient therapy providers, in both Part A and Part B settings, were struggling to keep the doors open, maintain a patient base, comply with various “stay at home” orders, understand the payroll... Read More

What I Learned at #ASHA2019

Kelly Cooney, CCC-SLP, CHC

NARA President

We are in a time of significant change in post -acute care. With this type of significant change can come fear and distrust, as well as opportunity. At ASHA 2019 in Orlando this week I saw that our SLP colleagues are hopeful. They are looking for resources.  They are engaged. They are interested in tools to... Read More

How much group therapy should providers be aiming for when the clock strikes PDPM?

Based on my conversations with our clients, SNFs and therapy providers throughout the country, I’ve heard plans that range from ramping up rapidly, to gradually phasing it in over months or years.

There are good reasons to go in either direction, or anywhere in between.

Consider the financial uncertainty. Many SNFs just don’t know what their books will look like several... Read More

Blog Post Provided by Optima Healthcare Solutions

Older adults have a few insurance options for healthcare, one of which is Medicare Advantage (MA). MA plans provide coverage for traditional Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (medical insurance), and often provide additional benefits, such as prescription drugs, vision and dental care. The main difference is that MA plans are offered through private insurance companies and are paid a fixed amount each month to cover... Read More

Senior Living communities boast a flurry of services to promote active aging for seniors.  Among those services, is therapy.  Therapy comes in various options for residents in most Senior Living communities, and given the changing climate of healthcare reform, your diversification into rehab environments is more important than ever.   Have you considered…Home Health, outpatient, wellness programs, and community engagement. 

Home Health (HH) services are... Read More

When CMS issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking comments on replacing the existing SNF PPS case-mix RUG-IV payment methodology with a new model, the Resident Classification System, Version 1 (RCS-1), therapy providers everywhere began to wonder how it might affect their businesses. The ANPRM, entitled Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities, is subject to a 60-day comment period; the comment period was extended until August 25,... Read More