DecisionHealth – publisher of Home Health Line, Diagnosis Coding Pro for Home Health and Home Care Outcomes – presents:

PPS Drill Down: A Live Audio Conference Series
on Proposed Sweeping Changes
A 4-part audio conference series, June 2007

Week one
PPS Changes & Your ICD-9 Coding
Wednesday, June 6, 1:00 – 2:15 p.m. Eastern Time

Sweeping changes to the home health prospective payment system will have a huge impact on coding. From complex new sequencing to a major expansion of the case-mix diagnoses (153, to be exact), CMS has proposed a system that will turn coding on its ear!

Check this out: Diabetes under the current system is worth 12 case-mix points. But under the proposed PPS changes, which CMS plans to implement January 1, a diabetes diagnosis could result in six different scores based on the diagnosis, amount of therapy visits and even the type of episode!

Jennifer Warfield, education Coordinator for PPS Plus Software, has been digging through the complexities of the changes and will explain them to you in plain English.

Get the lowdown on:

• M0246: CMS plans to replace M0245 with M0246. Learn the new rules for this M0 item and how you’ll be expected to use it. Hint: Instead of applying to the primary diagnosis only, it will also apply to five diagnosis slots! 
• Case-mix diagnoses: Say goodbye to “DON’T” (the popular acronym that helps coders remember the case-mix groups of diabetes, ortho, neurological and trauma and wounds).You’ll have 153 to choose from, including cancer, pulmonary and gastrointestinal disorders.
• Interactions and combinations: A whole new slew of secondary diagnoses and interactions will drive the case mix.  Example: dysphagia and stroke will earn either 1 or 6 points, depending on the episode and therapy visits.
• OASIS: Find out how – and when – answers to OASIS items such as M0470 (current number of observable stasis ulcers), M0520 (urinary incontinence or urinary catheter presence) and M0800 (management of injectable medications) will result in extra points.
• Therapy and episode of care: Find out why the case-mix point values will change depending on which episode is being billed and the anticipated number of therapy visits. Example: Pulmonary disorders will get points for high therapy visits only. 

Your Expert Speakers: Jennifer Warfield, BSN, HCS-D, COS-C Jennifer is the Education Coordinator for PPS Plus Software. She is responsible for developing the analysis for PPS Plus – Home Health Edition, and for the initial introduction to the software once it is implemented by home health agencies. As a registered nurse, certified coder, and certified OASIS specialist, she is also responsible for keeping up-to-date with the most current coding conventions and assisting agencies with difficult coding situations. Well-known as an expert in her field, she frequently conducts educational conferences and has been a guest speaker at numerous state association conferences throughout the country. Additionally, she is a regular contributor to DecisionHealth’s monthly newsletter, Home Care Outcomes. Who Should Attend: This audio conference benefits a wide variety of health care professionals. Coders Billers QA/QI staff Clinical field staff/supervisors Administrators There is no limit to the number of staff from your office who can tune in to the seminar via speakerphone. Invite them all to join you. A single registration fee pays for your entire team! (One dial-in per registration fee.) Sponsors Diagnosis Coding Pro for Home Health is your best source for guidance on correctly identifying and sequencing home health diagnosis codes to ensure the maximum allowable reimbursement under prospective payment. The Board of Medical Specialty Coding is a professional organization certifying specialty coders in physician, facility and sub-acute care settings. BMSC offers the Homecare Coding Specialist – Diagnosis (HCS-D) credential for homecare coding, billing, clinical and administrative staff. << Back to Home | Next >>