News

This week’s Medicare updates include the release of the End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System final rule, an announcement of the next round of Medicare Recovery Audit Contractors, the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment Changes for 2017 final rule, CY 2017 Home Health Prospective Payment System, a Hospital Appeals Settlement Update, and more!

Including patients and families/caregivers in daily hospital rounds and bedside conversations can provide patients and their families with better insight into care and enable active participation.

Q: Coding Clinic, Third Quarter 2011, p. 4 states:

“…morbid obesity is a chronic condition and; therefore, can be coded as a secondary diagnosis without treatment.” (emphasis added)

An article in the CDI Journal, “From the Forum: Manage denials for BMI morbid obesity,” seems to indicate that providers should document how the obesity affects patient care.

What level of patient care needs to be documented?

The Office for Civil Rights’ (OCR) guidance on patient access fees released earlier this year muddied the waters for providers and complicated the release of information (ROI) process, experts at the October 15–19 AHIMA national convention in Baltimore agreed.

What factors indicate that an observation stay would be covered?

Medicare beneficiaries sometimes have information about discharge planning from CMS. What questions might they ask as a result of having this information?