Industry Updates
March 18, 2025
Congress Enacts six-month Medicare telehealth waiver extension for OT
On Friday, Congress approved a government funding package that included a 6-month extension of current Medicare telehealth waivers, now set to expire on September 30, 2025. These waivers, which were previously set to end on March 31, 2025, would have significantly reduced telehealth access for Medicare beneficiaries, including occupational therapy (OT) services. However, the package did not address the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) cuts that took effect in January.
There is strong bipartisan support in Congress to extend telehealth waivers. A 2-year extension for therapy telehealth was included in a healthcare package last December, but the package was derailed due to unrelated issues. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) continues to lobby for permanent telehealth provider status for occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) and for extending waivers until a final policy is implemented.
To review a copy of the original article by Andy Bopp go to: Congress enacts six-month Medicare telehealth waiver extension for OT | AOTA
December 10, 2024
NOW AVAILABLE: Design for Care Compare Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System Technical User Guide
Effective with the January 2025 refresh, CMS will unfreeze four quality measures (QMs) that were frozen beginning with the April 2024 refresh. These measures were updated to accommodate recent changes to the Minimum Data Set (MDS).
The impacts to these QMs are as follows:
• Percentage of Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Residents Who Are At or Above an Expected Ability to Care for Themselves and Move Around at Discharge will replace Percentage of Residents Who Made Improvements in Function (short-stay).
• Percentage of Residents Whose Need for Help with Activities of Daily Living Has Increased (long-stay) will be respecified.
• Percentage of Residents Whose Ability to Walk Independently Worsened (long-stay) will be respecified. • Percentage of Residents with Pressure Ulcers will replace Percentage of High-Risk Residents with Pressure Ulcers (long-stay).
To a review a copy of the Five -Star Technical User Guide - go to the link below: https://www.cms.gov/medicare/provider-enrollment-and-certification/certificationandcomplianc/downloads/usersguide.pdf
October 4, 2024
Revised Updates to NH Care Compare Staffing and Quality Measures
Highlights of Memorandum:
- CMS will revise the case-mix adjustment methodology for staffing levels and update the Quality Measures (QMs) used on Nursing Home Care Compare to reflect changes to the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Additionally, CMS will discontinue the CMS-672 form, as the section G MDS data, which populated this form, is being eliminated.
- To encourage accurate staffing data submission, CMS will modify the staffing rating methodology. Providers who do not submit staffing data or submit inaccurate data will receive the lowest possible score for staffing turnover measures.
- CMS has revised the timeline for updating the quality measures, ensuring that all affected measures are adjusted simultaneously.
To a review a copy of the updated memo QSO-25-01-NH go to the link below: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-25-01-nh.pdf