Tuesday, July 30, 2013

July 15, 2013

Drill Down – IRF Coverage Criteria Are You Covered?

 

RAC region A contractor Performant  posted a Complex audit review issue based on Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Admission  for the states of: CT, DC, DE, MA, ME, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI and VT.

The issue is that IRF benefits are designed to provide intensive rehabilitation therapy in a facility for patients who, due to the complexity of their nursing, medical management, and rehabilitation needs, require and can reasonably be expected to benefit from an inpatient stay and an interdisciplinary team approach. Performant’s complex review will determine if the patient met the coverage criteria for the admission to the IRF.

The complete list of coverage criteria can be found in 42 CFR 412.604. Some examples for conditions for payment under prospective payment system for inpatient rehabilitation facilities are:

·         The patient actively participates in an ongoing therapeutic intervention of multiple therapies (physical, occupational, speech-language, or prosthetics/orthotics).

·         The patient can actively participate in 3 hours of therapy per day 5 days a week or 15 hours of intensive therapy 7 days a week.

·         Requires physician face to face visits with the patient who is a rehabilitation physician.

·         Requires a comprehensive preadmission screening by a licensed clinician designated by the rehabilitation physician preceding   48 hours of admit.

·         Interdisciplinary team approach to care, with documented meetings and plan of care.

The OIG office has cited criteria for those patients that do not need IRF care as outlined in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Publication Medicare Benefit Policy Manual 100-02 Chapter 1, Section 110 as:

·         Uncomplicated hip or knee surgery or other single joint replacement that requires only pain medication and simple therapy.

·         Simple orthopedic injuries and medical neurological conditions that require only general muscle strengthening and reconditioning.

In the above cases, pre-admission screening procedures did not identify consistently those patients who could be treated in a less intensive facility or those who were not capable of significant improvement as a result of therapy or unable to participate fully in an IRF.


RAC issues for the week of July 15th – July 19th, 2013:


RAC Region A Performant

Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Claim Types

 
§  Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility (IRF) Admission - The IRF benefit is designed to provide intensive rehabilitation therapy in a facility for patients who, due to the complexity of their nursing, medical management, and rehabilitation needs, require and can reasonably be expected to benefit from an inpatient stay and an interdisciplinary team approach. The review will determine if the patient met the coverage criteria for the admission to the IRF.

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