MDS Updates for 2014 are Posted by CMS
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have posted a new version (V1.14.1) of the data submission specifications and a new revised version V1.12.0 of the MDS item sets. The updated version is scheduled to become effective Oct. 1, 2014 and should be considered final.
The specifications and items sets are available on the CMS MDS 3.0 Technical Information page.
There are minimal changes to the MDS as compared to previous years, with most changes being related to language rather than substantive changes. The primary highlights are as follows:
- Submission option language has been updated (A0410)
- Admission date for this episode of care added (A1900)
- PASSR language removed from some item sets (A1500)
- Removal of ICD-10 language (Section I)
- Flu vaccine language updated (Section O)
- MDS item code cues for location of information related to modification requests (Section X)
As far as updated policies for Medicare payment, we are not anticipating many changes there either. The primary change is an updated COT policy to include optional completion to return to a Rehab RUG after a resident has index-maximized out of the Rehab category previously. Therapy services as a whole are under the microscope, and new ways of evaluating the therapy component of the RUG score are currently being evaluated by CMS.
Contact: Michelle Synakowski, msynakowski@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8850