NAC Quick Reference Guide to the End of the COVID-19 PHE Waivers

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) will end on May 11, 2023. The end of the PHE declaration also marks the end of temporary waivers that were granted during the PHE, including waiving the 3-day qualifying hospital stay requirement and …

ABN (Form CMS-R-131) for Part B SNF Services

The ABN, Form CMS-R-131, and form instructions have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal. The use of the renewed form with the expiration date of 01/31/2026 will be mandatory on 6/30/23. You may continue to use the ABN form with the expiration date of 6/30/23 until the …

SNF QRP: SNF Discharge Function Score Technical Report

This report presents the Discharge Function Score measure specifications. Section 2 provides an overview of the measure and a high-level summary of the key features of the measure that are described in detail in the remaining sections of the document. Section 3 describes the methodology used to construct the Discharge …

CMS Section GG Training Videos: GG0130A, GG0110, GG0170C, GG0130B, Decision Tree for GG0130/GG0170

Video Tutorials Available to Assist with Coding Specific Section GG Items The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is releasing a series of short videos to assist providers with coding select Section GG items on the OASIS, IRF-PAI, LTCH CARE Data Set, and the MDS. These videos, ranging from 4-12 …

Medicare Medical Review Contractors Overview

Since the Medicare program is heavily monitored for improper payments to protect the Medicare Trust Fund, it is likely your facility will experience a medical review by a Medicare contractor. The AAPACN Medicare Medical Review Contractors Overview tool provides a summary of the different types of Medicare contractors that may …

Q&A: We have a resident that is in our facility for skilled services under Medicare Part A. The family took the resident out for a funeral, and she did not return within 24 hours. Is this a Medicare Part A discharge?

Question: We have a resident that is in our facility for skilled services under Medicare Part A. The family took the resident out for a funeral, and she did not return within 24 hours. Is this a Medicare Part A discharge? Answer from Jeff Taylor: This would not be a …

COVID-19 Diagnosis Flow Chart for FY 2023

The complexities of assigning codes for COVID-19 and associated manifestations can be a confusing process. The AAPACN COVID-19 Diagnosis Flow Chart tool uses chapter-specific coding guidance for FY 2023 and will assist the user to ensure all appropriate diagnoses are considered when using the ICD-10-CM coding manual for final code …

Payroll-Based Journal (PBJ) Audit Tool

The Centers for Medicare & Medicare Services (CMS) requires PBJ data to be submitted at least quarterly. It is imperative that this data is accurate as it is publicly reported and impacts the Five Star rating, is included in the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program for fiscal …