Tips from the Post-Acute Team at Advis

The skilled nursing facility post-acute venue has undergone significant change in recent years. With the COVID-19 pandemic arriving on the heels of a payment model transition to the Patient Driven Payment Model (“PDPM”) the pace of change has been hard to keep up with. As vaccines are now being widely administered, SNFs are emerging from various lockdown policies and protections to discover various letters from payers requesting audit documentation. Although prior to February 2020, most facilities felt they successfully transitioned to the PDPM model, the true test of a successful transition is to survive a payer or governmental claim audit with minimal or zero penalty. When COVID-19 took over as the priority for healthcare providers across the world, for skilled nursing facilities the possible influx of clawbacks related to the utilization of this new model was at the top of list for payers. Audit processes from payers had been delayed for some time, as post-acute patient populations were threatened by the pandemic. Unfortunately, as a result, SNF facilities all
over the country started the spring of 2021 with audit notices in their mailboxes.

As a result of the pandemic and CARES funding initiatives, reporting, waivers, as well as, quality, infection control and training protocols were also added to SNF/NF operations. Significantly, the PDPM model proved a positive transition and positive reimbursement model during pre-pandemic interviews with skilled nursing facility operators. We will soon see whether that positive uptick in reimbursement maintains itself over time.

This white paper provides some recommendations from the post-acute team at Advis to ensure the continued viability of your SNF/NF as the pandemic becomes under control. The Advis team is currently assisting various post-acute venues as they work through the payment model implementation process as well as the pandemic and post-pandemic planning process. This paper provides tips for SNF operation optimization while keeping in mind payment model transition and new pandemic protocols.

Download your copy of our free SNF whitepaper by filling out the form to the right.

For more information, please contact us online or by calling 708-478-7030.