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On January 1, 1999 most facilities started under the new Medicare PPS system, which was enacted as a result of the government Balanced Budget Act of 1997. The government's intent was to cut Medicare cost and Medicare spending. As a result a system in which patients were "categorized" into Resource Utilization Groups (RUGs) was created and called the Prospective Payment System (PPS).
This system used the Minimum Data Set (MDS) tool to access and categorize individuals and therefore determine a daily reimbursement rate. The system changed the amount of money and allotted resources (including nursing and therapy) which a nursing home would receive per resident.
In order to succeed under this new system PRS provided each member of its staff extensive training, including practice cases, trial periods, presentations, and handouts. The preparations began as early as September of 1998. At the same time we realized that the therapy department had to work hand-in-hand with the rest of the nursing home staff to successfully coordinate all patient activities. Therefore, we also provided training to all nursing home staff. Numerous inservices, handouts and examples were given in order to ensure preparation for the onset of PPS.
In January we were all set to go. At the onset of PPS every member of our staff was familiar with PPS. They also had established protocols and forms to follow to help the transition process and to help accurately meet the necessary PPS requirements.
Today when most rehabilitation companies are folding as a result of the PPS system our organization continues to grow due to hard work, preparation, inservicing and education!
Below you can find four of 30 slides we use in our PPS presentations. The slides are all very colorful, easy to understand, and helpful. During the presentation they are projected for participants to see and they also receive a copy to take with them. Please feel free to contact us if you would be interested in receiving additional information about our PPS / MDS educational programs.
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