On Nov. 2, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a final rule that includes updates on policy changes for Medicare payments under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), and other Medicare Part...
Maslow and the Molly Maid
By
Renee Kinder
May 09, 2019
I recently had the pleasure of hearing a COO of a group of nursing homes present a closing session at their organization’s annual meeting. The company’s nursing teams, administrators and MDS Coordinators...
Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta: Why understanding variants matters
By
Renee Kinder
Jul 29, 2021
Life over the past few weeks has felt a little too normal. Would you all agree? Like we have all just been waiting for the ball to drop, and it has, with the recommendations from the CDC on Tuesday related...
SNF Industry: It’s time for a PDPM ‘Come-to-Jesus’
By
Renee Kinder
Oct 11, 2018
I have, unfortunately, heard some off-track conversations about the “goals” and “outcomes” of what the Patient-Driven Payment Model will do to the industry. To say I have been shocked, appalled...
Proposed rule and quality: What your rehab team should know
By
Renee Kinder
Jun 17, 2021
The future of quality-driven care is coming. Is your therapy team ready? Reviews of the FY 2022 SNF PPS Proposed Rule often highlight key areas related to data trending, lack of budget neutrality and forthcoming...
The skilled eye of a speech pathologist
By
Renee Kinder
Nov 16, 2015
The Medicare Benefit Policy Manual provides guidance for rehabilitation professionals on criteria for reasonable and necessary skilled services which include: Following Evidenced Based Practice Patterns:...
Evaluating extensive versus moderate assist
By
Renee Kinder
Aug 17, 2015
Step one for improving accuracy for Section G ADL coding is to improve understanding between the language MDS uses to define levels of function and impairment in comparison to how rehab teams and nursing...
Finding Joy in everyday teaching
By
Renee Kinder
Mar 25, 2021
Confession: I was a terrible student until Joy Tilley rocked my 14-year-old mind with her lessons and passion for the perfect, five-paragraph essay. Awful student I was. Never completed homework. Never...
The who, what and why of CPT Codes
By
Renee Kinder
Mar 15, 2018
My introduction to CPT codes came in May of 2005. A new graduate speech language pathologist, I can still see the memo clearly in my mind posted on a corkboard in the therapy gym. And then came the questions:...
Understanding mild dementia
By
Renee Kinder
Oct 23, 2015
Providing care to individuals with dementia can be a daunting, yet rewarding experience for caregivers in long term care communities.