From Dr. Tom's Desk
Last week we discussed a major implication of the release of the “Final Rule” of the prospective payment system for skilled nursing services.
Here’s another one.
Nursing homes are getting into the risk-coding business.
That’s right, the prospective payment system encourages nursing homes to take even greater pains to code every medical condition of their residents.
This makes it even simpler to care for these patients.
In the past, we’ve discussed trends in risk-coding nursing home patients here and here.
After reviewing the final rule, the upshot for you is this:
You can do very well taking care of nursing home patients simply by reducing their costs through delivering great care---you don’t have to worry about risk coding.
It makes a Medicare Advantage nursing home practice a no-brainer.
If nursing home patients aren’t part of your “portfolio of patients,” you’re missing out.
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