While CMS tries to figure out how to proceed with the manual medical review process, we continue to track our caps and apply our modifiers. In the meantime, has anyone noticed how our typical Medicare...
Bon appétit for therapy!
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Sep 23, 2014
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, physical, occupational and speech therapy used to provide group therapy and often co-treat. This was a totally different time and place for the history of rehabilitation.
Palliative possibilities: Therein lies the rub
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Apr 22, 2014
When a patient is referred to therapy, and they are receiving hospice care, then therapy needs to seek permission from the hospice company to provide any treatment. Hospice is required to reimburse the...
To group, or not to group
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jul 25, 2011
By simply creating more confusion, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has made it more difficult for providers. In turn, providers are still expected to be ready to provide the best treatment...
Entitlement or over utilization?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Oct 07, 2014
Many of our therapy patients are medically complex and we, unfortunately, are not able to predict the future, as it sometimes seems that regulators want us to do.
Do your residents have a ‘sexy style’?
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jul 29, 2014
I recently read an article entitled, “J.Lo’s sense of sexy style.” It really made me think about the nursing home resident’s role with this type of thinking.
How to document for rehabilitation work objectively
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jun 04, 2013
As the scrutiny continues to increase on rehabilitation documentation, finding ways to document objectively has become a major focus for just about everyone involved.
The Melting Pot
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Oct 21, 2014
You might be thinking this is going to be about the intriguing restaurant chain The Melting Pot. While I do love fondue (especially the cheese and chocolate varieties), I want to look at something crucial...
Pay for performance, medical necessity and Jimmo
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Jun 04, 2014
Why would anyone mention value-based reimbursement, medical necessity and the Jimmo lawsuit in the same sentence? I feel they are all related, but it will be difficult to find the perfect balancing act...
A home-for-the-holidays checklist for therapy patients
By
Shelly Mesure, MS, OTR/L
Nov 19, 2013
Well, it’s that time of year already. Hectic schedules, extra weekend shifts and holiday planning. It’s also time for rehab to spend some extra time discussing holiday plans with their patients....