lwconsulting

What is Considered an E-Visit?

Medicare e-visits occur between a doctor, Notice of Privacy Practices (NPP), various other provider types and a patient. These e-visits were designed to occur through an online portal but with more recent laxities based upon the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare is allowing additional provider types to provide telehealth and virtual visits. This has occurred as a result of the current national emergency and states applying for waiver 1135 relief. Many states are waiving co-pays and prior…

Federal Regulations Governing the Resident Assessment Instrument Process

The statutory authority for the Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) is located in the Social Security Act  amended by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1987 at Section 1819(f)(6)(A-B) for Medicare and 1919(f)(6)(A-B) for Medicaid. The Social Security Act requires the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services to specify a tool of core elements for use in conducting assessments of nursing home residents. The tool is called the Minimum Data Set (MDS). It…

Part 1 – Section GG Expansion to OBRA Assessments July 1, 2021

Nursing Facilities (NFs) in Pennsylvania are in for a change effective July 1, 2021. Section GG coding is required for the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) assessments. If your facility is not in Pennsylvania, don’t stop reading now. Some other states have already made the change to require Section GG coding for OBRA assessments. States have the option to require the completion of specific sections of the MDS since October 1, 2020. LW Consulting Inc…