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Changes from CMS: A Gift That Keeps On Giving

For the New Year, CMS has gifted our industry important changes as detailed in the draft item sets for the MDS 3.0 labeled 1.18.0.

Without an official Change Table from CMS, updates must be compared against existing MDS assessments. This version features new items, as well as renumbered existing items and updated skip pattern notations to assist with tracking which items are coded in specific situations. Many changes are related to the requirement that CMS incorporate standard patient assessment data elements (aka: SPADEs). These items will be incorporated into four post-acute care assessment instruments including OASIS, Inpatient Rehab Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI), Long-term Care Continuity Assessment Record, and the Evaluation. (We initially saw the SPADE requirements introduced with Section GG, as this is a cross-setting item.) A summary of changes are outlined here.

HealthPRO Heritage Recommends:
Changes are scheduled to become effective October 1, 2020, and these draft item sets will likely stay “as is” (except for perhaps minor skip pattern language or numbering). So HealthPRO Heritage is thinking ahead. Read more about what experts from our Clinical Strategies Division have to say: Questions Worth Asking: Strategy & Perspective on 2020 MDS Changes

HealthPRO Heritage Supports:
Current client partners:  Contact our MDS experts via the TeleMDS Hotline with questions at: 833-287-3450.

Not a HealthPRO Heritage client?  Contact:  877-508-3237. Learn more about solutions, services, and strategic support inclusive of: 

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Tags: CMS Update 2020