March 2021 • Vol. 24, No. 1
March 2021 • Vol. 24, No. 1
The official publication of the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA) Anthony Cuzzola Chair, AMRPA Board of Directors, Vice President JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute John Ferraro, MS AMRPA Executive Director Kate Beller, JD AMRPA Executive Vice President for Government Relations and Policy Development Remy Kerr, MPH AMRPA Health Policy and Research Manager Patricia Sullivan AMRPA Senior Editor Shirley Soda Design and Layout
AMRPA Magazine, Volume 24, Number 1
AMRPA Magazine is published monthly by the American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association (AMRPA). AMRPA is the national voluntary trade association representing inpatient rehabilitation hospitals and units, hospital outpatient departments and settings independent of the hospital, such as comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities, rehabilitation agencies and skilled nursing facilities. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Member institutions receive the AMRPA magazine as part of their membership dues. Send subscription requests to AMRPA, 529 14th St., NW, Suite 1280, Washington, DC 20045 USA. Make checks payable to AMRPA. ADVERTISING RATES: Full page = $1,500; Half page = $1,000; Third page = $750. Ads may be B&W or full color. Advertising Contact: Julia Scott, AMRPA, 529 14th St., NW, Suite 1280, Washington, DC 20045 USA, Phone: +1-202-207-1110, Email: jscott@amrpa.org. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors alone and do not imply an opinion on the part of the officers or the members of AMRPA. All content ©2020 by American Medical Rehabilitation Providers Association. All rights reserved. Materials may not reproduced in any form without written permission. Design and layout services provided by Kellen. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Kellen, Attn: AMRPA Magazine Circulation 529 14th St., NW, Suite 1280, Washington, DC 20045
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AMRPA Magazine / March 2021
Table of Contents Letter from the Chair
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AMRPA Takes Action on Proposed IRF Choice Review Demonstration
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Medicare Telehealth Coverage During the Public Health Emergency and Beyond
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AMRPA Virtual Spring Conference Provides Insights into DC, Future of Medical Rehabilitation
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Keep Up to Date with the AMRPA Access Blog 13 Our Story: A Story of Strength
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A Farewell
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Letter from the Chair
Anthony Cuzzola Vice President JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute
Letter from the Chair As you may already be aware, we are retiring the AMRPA magazine after this issue. Over the years, our leadership, counsel and staff have covered every major policy issue facing the association in this magazine, and I’d like to thank the many contributors. I very much look forward to the next phase of our membership communication strategy, which includes our new AMRPA Access blog and new sections of our website, including a library of Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) meeting summaries. Through these changes, our members will be getting even more in-depth and timely coverage of the regulatory and legislative issues facing them an everyday basis, and I look forward to this next chapter. There is certainly no shortage of change in other areas of the association as well. Last month, AMRPA's policy leaders met to discuss and finalize the association's policy priorities for 2021, taking into account the 117th Congress and new administration. The policy agenda is both comprehensive and ambitious, and has been informed by our members’ engagement before and during the COVID-19 public health emergency. We look forward to unveiling the priorities in the coming weeks and identifying issues where we can get more of our members involved in our Hill and agency-facing outreach. With the new year and new list of priorities, we also have a new legislative counsel at the helm – McDermott Plus. McDermott Plus is a firm with decades of relevant government and industry experience, and their health-focused team includes lawyers, physicians, policy professionals, data analysts, and veterans of Capitol Hill and government agencies alike. We welcome the team to our AMRPA family, and I encourage you to be on the lookout for their timely updates on the blog and other member communications. Looking ahead, I anticipate a remarkably busy year for AMRPA – one that will be filled with both challenges and opportunities. Much of our focus in recent weeks has been dedicated to the proposed Review Choice Demonstration, which would implement a pre-claim or post-payment review for every traditional Medicare inpatient rehabilitation patient in select states. AMRPA has identified a number of serious concerns with the proposal and its impact on patient access and care, which is detailed in an article in this issue. We’ve already engaged extensively with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and plan to also work with Congressional offices to convey our concerns. At the same time, I also see a number of opportunities over the coming months, ranging from the IMPACT Act reset to collaborating with other major provider groups on Provider Relief Fund distributions and reporting. I’ve also been a part of a number of meetings with regulatory and legislative policymakers over the past few months, and was pleased with their awareness of the role that our hospitals have played in the pandemic and the critical importance of medical rehabilitation to COVID-19 survivors and other patients. This recognition is due entirely to the work of our members and your contributions to the Association. I look forward to discussing these issues and much more at our Spring Conference next month. If you haven’t already, I urge you to register today and take advantage of the virtual offerings, including our first virtual fly-in. Thank you as always for your support and I look forward to working with you during a transformative year for AMRPA.
AMRPA Magazine / March 2021
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AMRPA Takes Action on Proposed IRF Choice Review Demonstration
Kate Beller, JD, AMRPA Executive Vice President for Government Relations and Policy Development
In mid-December, AMRPA was concerned to learn of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) proposal to implement what it calls the “Review Choice Demonstration for IRF Services.” This five-year demonstration program is aimed at reducing what CMS says are high rates of improper payments and potential fraud in the inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) benefit in the Medicare fee-for-service program. As currently proposed, the demonstration would span five years. It would initially begin in Alabama, followed by expansion to Pennsylvania, Texas and California within two years. Beginning in the third year, the demonstration will expand to all providers in Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) jurisdictions JJ, JL, JH and JE, which includes 17 additional states and territories. The demonstration would subject all IRFs in these states and territories to review 100% of their Medicare claims. Providers will have the option of participating in either a 100% pre- or 100% post-claim review of their claims. A provider’s compliance percentage will be calculated every six months based on the outcomes of the reviews. If a provider achieves 90% or higher compliance, it will no longer be subjected to 100% reviews, and instead will only be subject to review of a small sampling of claims.
Jonathan Gold, JD, Director of Government Relations and Regulatory Counsel
According to CMS, those participating in the pre-claim review option will need to submit a pre-admissions screening, an individualized overall plan of care, and several other pieces of information about the patient. MACs will need to return a decision on the claim within five business days. However, CMS states that the provider need not wait to accept or begin treating the patient prior to receiving a determination. If the MAC requires additional information to reach an affirmative decision, it can request that from the hospital, and then return a subsequent decision within 10 business days. If a preclaim request is denied, but a claim is still submitted, that claim will be automatically denied but the provider may then appeal the denial following the usual appeals process. Under the post-claim review option, providers will follow the usual process for submitting claims for Medicare beneficiaries. At six-month intervals, MACs will send additional documentation requests for 100% of all claims submitted by the provider to conduct a review of those claims. According to CMS, these reviews will follow the same process typically required of post-claim audits by CMS contractors. Providers can then also follow the usual process for appealing any denied claims on a post-claim basis. CMS estimates the cost to IRFs will be $3,144,909 in the third year of the demonstration when it has been fully expanded to all participating jurisdictions. This calculation is based upon an hourly wage of $17.13, a “fully loaded” cost of $34.26/hour, an average
AMRPA Magazine / March 2021
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of 30 minutes per claim, and several ancillary costs. In addition, CMS estimates it will cost the agency $114 million over five years to implement and manage this demonstration. CMS has not stated any definite timeline for beginning the demonstration. The first comment period for this proposed demonstration closed on February 16, 2021, but CMS has indicated there will be at least on additional public comment period. In response to this initial comment period, AMRPA worked with members to compile an extensive response to the proposal, which is available on the AMRPA website. AMRPA emphasized the disruption of care that such a far-reaching demonstration would have for patients and the untenable position for hospitals. AMRPA urged CMS to rescind the proposed demonstration. AMRPA also argued in the alternative that if CMS did not fully withdraw the proposal, it must overhaul the current design, and implement numerous changes and safeguards. Among just some of those changes, AMRPA insisted that CMS: •
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Vastly accelerate the timeframe for pre-claim reviews to ensure an immediate response from MACs on claim requests.
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Implement appropriate reviewer qualification standards.
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Significantly limit the scope of the audits to fewer IRFs and to a far lower percentage of overall claims to be reviewed.
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Implement an accelerated appeals timeframe for providers to appeal any denied claims.
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Require robust transparency from MACs on denied claims and rationale behind claim determinations.
AMRPA plans on continuing its efforts regarding this demonstration and making it a top policy priority. If you or your hospital wishes to be involved in these ongoing efforts, do not hesitate to reach out to AMRPA staff.
Delay the start of the demonstration until an appropriate period (e.g., two years) after the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency has concluded.
Answers to AMRPA’s Most Frequently Asked Questions Visit our regularly updated webpage for answers to questions about: Answers to Questions About: • Blanket waivers across the Medicare program • Flexibilities granted to IRFs • Financial relief available to providers • Coding and billing issues www.amrpa.org/FAQ
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AMRPA Magazine / March 2021
Medicare Telehealth Coverage During the Public Health Emergency and Beyond
Remy Kerr, MPH, AMRPA Health Policy and Research Manager
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare beneficiaries had limited access to telehealth services due to Medicare coverage and payment rules. In response to the public health emergency (PHE), the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implemented temporary waivers and flexibilities to allow for increased access to telehealth services. Before the PHE, AMRPA was on record advocating for select telehealth expansion within the Medicare program on both the legislative and regulatory front. AMRPA urged the CMS to take steps to expand use of telehealth within the Medicare program in its calendar year (CY) 2018 Physician Fee Schedule proposed rule response. The association also engaged with the Congressional Telehealth Caucus and formally endorsed the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2019 (S. 2741) sponsored by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) – described in detail below. AMRPA’s advocacy for expanded telehealth continued in response to the COVID-19 PHE, with the association requesting flexibilities and waivers – such as recognizing therapists as telehealth-eligible providers in the Medicare program and expanding the types of platforms that could be used to furnish telehealth. AMRPA intends to consider ongoing advocacy to permanently reform certain telehealth rules within the Medicare program, following the telehealth expansion that was provided IRFs throughout the pandemic. Telehealth coverage prior and during the PHE, and policy considerations for expansion beyond the PHE, and AMRPA’s efforts are detailed below. Pre-Pandemic Telehealth Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicare beneficiaries were required to be from rural areas in order to qualify for telehealth services. Additionally, patients often had to travel to an originating site.1 Originating sites included medical offices, hospitals, rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers and skilled nursing facilities, and others. In addition, providers were required to be located in a Medicare-eligible facility (known as the distant site), such as a medical office or hospital, to provide telehealth services and be licensed within the state where they were providing services and where the beneficiary was located. Further, only select types of providers were permitted to offer telehealth services.2 Telehealth was also limited to a select number of services with already established patients. Medicare beneficiaries were also subject to cost-sharing for telehealth. 1 O riginating site - “The location where a Medicare beneficiary gets physician or practitioner medical services through a telecommunications system.” – The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) 2 D istant site practitioners as defined by CMS include physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse-midwives, clinical nurse specialists, certified registered nurse anesthetists, clinical psychologists and clinical social workers, registered dietitians and nutrition professionals.
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AMRPA’s advocacy efforts prior to the pandemic focused primarily on: 1) recommending CMS establish a demonstration program to evaluate certain types of therapy provided via telehealth to Medicare beneficiaries; 2) ensuring all specialties, including rehabilitation physicians and therapists, are incentivized to utilize remote patient monitoring; and 3) removal of geographic restrictions for critical services. Specifically, the association formally supported the aforementioned CONNECT for Health Act of 2019, with provisions including: authorization for a demonstration model to test allowing additional clinicians to furnish telehealth services; removal of geographic restrictions and allowing the home to serve as an originating site for critical services (e.g., behavioral health services); and encouraging CMMI to test additional telehealth models. Pandemic Telehealth In response to the COVID-19 PHE, CMS issued telehealth-related flexibilities for the Medicare program under the Section 1135 waiver and the CARES Act3 – many of which AMRPA advocated for. These flexibilities remain in effect and include recognizing any provider eligible to bill for Medicare services – including physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists – as distant site telehealth providers, expanding the list of telehealth-approved services to include therapy services, allowing rehabilitation physicians to utilize telehealth to meet weekly face-to-face visit requirements, and waiving cost-sharing requirements at the discretion of the provider. In addition, providers are currently able to offer telehealth services through technology that is non-HIPAA-compliant and can provide audioonly telehealth services. Lastly, providers are currently able to provide telehealth to both new and established patients, and do not have to be licensed in the state where the patient is located.4 While many of these flexibilities are tied to the PHE-declaration and could be rescinded at CMS’ discretion, CMS has taken steps to expand some telehealth services on a longer-term basis. In the CY 2021 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) final rule, CMS added several new services as eligible telehealth services through the end of the CY in which the PHE ends. In alignment with AMRPA’s comments, CMS included commonly billed occupational, physical and speech-language therapy services to this list. The services, however, will be restricted to being billed as “incident to” physician services due to CMS’ lack of authority to add therapists to the list of distant site telehealth providers without legislative action. CMS also opted to create a temporary reimbursement code to allow billing by physicians when providing audio-only services. CMS did not include use of this code beyond the end of the PHE but asserted it will continue to evaluate the code and consider permanent implementation in the future. Lastly, CMS added emergency department visits, observation status visits and observation discharge day management, inpatient discharge day management, critical care services and SNF discharge day management to the list of temporary telehealth services.
3 CMS Medicare Telemedicine Health Care Provider Fact Sheet 4 The clinician must be licensed, and state restrictions may apply.
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AMRPA Magazine / March 2021
The Future of Telehealth In addition to the telehealth provisions included on a temporary basis in the CY 2021 PFS final rule, CMS also included some permanent telehealth provisions. In line with AMRPA’s comments, CMS clarified that non-physician practitioners and therapists can bill for virtual check-ins and other remote services on a permanent basis. Other services added to the eligible telehealth services list on a permanent basis include: psychological and neurological testing, established patient home visits, cognitive assessment and care planning and add-on codes for complex and prolonged patient visits. CMS also finalized permitting SNFs to utilize telehealth for physician visits every 14 days (prior to the PHE, SNFs were limited to every 30 days). AMRPA continues to advocate for continued expansion of telehealth in the Medicare program on a permanent basis. The association’s most recent advocacy efforts included a response to HHS’ Request for Information regarding Regulatory Relief to Support Economic Recovery and an early letter to the Biden administration. In these letters, AMRPA expressed support for permanent implementation of several telehealth-related waivers, including: 1) expanding the list of services that can be provided in the Medicare program via telehealth to include therapy services; 2) recognizing therapists as eligible telehealth providers; 3) relaxing originating site requirements in order to allow more patients to receive care in their home; 4) continuing to allow virtual team conferences as needed; 5) allowing the provision of audio-only telehealth services; and 6) eliminating state licensing restrictions. While it is unclear what degree telehealth expansion will be permanently implemented within the Medicare program, the issue seems to be at the forefront for policymakers. MedPAC held three meetings on the topic in recent months and plans to include preliminary recommendations in their Report to Congress in March. Steps were also taken in the former 116th Congress to expand telehealth for Medicare beneficiaries, including introduction of Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act of 2020 (H.R. 7663), which AMRPA supported. Other telehealth-related bills have already been introduced in the current 117th Congress, and the association will be closely monitoring them. *** AMRPA will continue to monitor telehealth developments both as they pertain to the PHE-related flexibilities and waivers, and permanent expansion within the Medicare program. If your hospital is interested in participating in AMRPA’s advocacy efforts related to telehealth, please contact Remy Kerr, AMRPA Health Policy and Research Manager.
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AMRPA Magazine / March 2021
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Patients Achieve
HIGHER FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES
With the ZeroG Gait and Balance System Following Traumatic Brain Injury, individuals who used the ZeroG Gait and Balance System during Inpatient Rehabilitation improved 38.6 points more in total Functional Independence Measure (FIM) than those who received Standard of Care (SOC). 1 In acute ischemic stroke (CVA), those who used ZeroG improved 9.5 points more than the SOC group in total FIM score. 2
TBI Change in Total FIM
CVA Change in Total FIM
1 Anggelis E, Powell ES, Westgate PM, Glueck AC, Sawaki L, 'Impact of motor
therapy with dynamic body-weight support on Functional Independence Measures in traumatic brain injury: An exploratory study. NeuroRehabilitation. 2019 Dec 18;45(4):519-524.
2 Elwert, N, Powell ES, Anggelis, E, Sawaki L, 'Effects of Dynamic Body-Weight
Support on Functional Independence Measures in Acute Ischemic Stroke' 14th ISPRM World Congress and 53rd AAP Annual Meeting. Orlando, FL, 5-8 March, 2020.
10 AMRPA Magazine / March 2021
www.aretechllc.com info@aretechllc.com 800-710-0370
Virtual Spring Conference & Congressional Fly-In March 15-17, 2021
AMRPA Virtual Spring Conference Provides Insights into DC, Future of Medical Rehabilitation The annual AMRPA Spring Conference, taking place virtually this year on March 15-17, 2021, offers medical rehabilitation professionals a chance to hear from and speak to federal agency officials, members of Congress, and other Washington, D.C., influencers who make critical decisions every day about our industry. With the continued impact of COVID-19, in addition to prepping for a new congress and presidential administration, participating in this year’s Virtual Spring Conference & Congressional Fly-In is more critical than ever. Learn more and register on the AMRPA website.
Our confirmed speakers include: 2020 AMRPA Chairman’s Award Presentation Alison Cernich, PhD, Deputy Director, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institute of Health
2021 AMRPA Chairman's Award Presentation Representative Terri Sewell (D-AL-7)
The virtual Leadership Forum will provide everything you need to know about the impact of the 2020 general election on medical rehabilitation, an update on 2021 AMRPA policy priorities and review how to make the most of your congressional meetings on behalf of the industry and AMRPA.
Cheri A. Blauwet, MD Assistant Professor of PM&R, Harvard Medical School, Sports Medicine Physiatrist, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Director, Kelley Adaptive Sports Research Institute, Director, Disability Access and Awareness, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network
Following the Leadership Forum, the annual Congressional Fly-In is your unique opportunity speak personally with your elected officials about key issues of importance to the medical rehabilitation field. The new administration and new Congress pose both great opportunities and potential threats to the medical rehabilitation industry. It is more important than ever to educate yourself and get involved in the legislative and regulatory processes that affect your day-to-day operations.
Theresa Hayes Cruz, PhD Director Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), National Institute of Health
(continued on page 12)
AMRPA Magazine / March 2021 11
AMRPA Virtual Spring Conference (continued) 2021 AMRPA Chairman's Award Presentation (continued) William A. Dombi, Esq, President National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC)
Lane Koeing, PhD, President, National Association of Long Term Care Hospitals (NALTH)
Nicole O. Fallon, Vice President of Health Policy
Kate Beller, EVP for Government Relations and Policy Development, AMRPA
Virtual Spring Conference & Integrated Services and Director, Center for & Congressional Fly-In Managed Care Solutions & Innovations, March 15-17, 2021 Leading Age
Mike Cheek, Senior Vice President for Reimbursement Policy & Legal Affairs, American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) View the complete schedule on the AMRPA website.
JOIN TODAY!
Advocating. Educating. Connecting. AMRPA: Working Together to To Preserve Preserve Access To Medical Rehabilitation AMRPA: Working Together Access to Medical Rehabilitation Maggie Ramirez · VP of Membership Services · 347-573-3732 · mramirez@amrpa.org
Elizabeth Katsion, AMRPA Member Services Coordinator, ekatsion@amrpa.org, 202-207-1102.
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Keep Up to Date with the AMRPA Access Blog
As the sun sets on AMRPA magazine, it’s dawn for the association’s newest communications vehicle, our blog, AMRPA Access was launched in early July 2020 with a message of then Chairman of the Board Robert Krug, who hailed it as a way for AMRPA members to stay abreast of Congressional activity, regulatory policy issues, COVID-19 developments, patient stories, and other news from AMRPA. Since its launch AMRPA Access has included posts on important topics for our members and others who are interested in medical rehabilitation. Some topics you might find interesting include:
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CMS Releases Data on the Impact of COVID-19 on Medicare Beneficiaries’ Daily Lives and Health Behaviors During the Public Health Emergency
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CMS Proposes New Medicare Coverage for Breakthrough Devices; Regulatory Definition for “Reasonable and Necessary” Determinations
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The PAPE is No Longer Required. Now What?
Our stories about the power of medical rehabilitation include: •
Passion and Progress
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Prior Authorization & the Pandemic
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Stronger, Together
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ICD-10 Codes and COVID-19
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MedPAC Formally Votes to Recommend a 5% Payment Reduction for IRFs in FY 2022; Discusses Issues for Inclusion in March and June Reports to Congress
Taking the Next Step Soaring to New Heights
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Advocating for Change
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What You Should Know About the 60% Rule Waiver
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CMS Issues Proposed Rule to Streamline Prior Authorization in Medicaid, CHIP and ACA Plans
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MedPAC Holds Annual Payment Update Sessions on PostAcute Care Settings, Including IRFs
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2021 Fee Schedule Final Rule Reduced Payment for Outpatient Therapy and Inpatient Physician Services
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AMRPA Helps with Price Transparency Requirement Rule
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AMRPA’s “Fast Take” on the 2020 Election & the Impact on the Inpatient Rehabilitation Industry
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Call for COVID-19 Research on Rehabilitation and Persons with Disabilities
We encourage you to provide feedback and let us know if there is additional content that your hospital would like to see covered. Email AMRPA Communications Director Patricia Sullivan with suggestions. To submit a story about a patient or caregiver to be featured on the AMRPA patient website, visit the AMRPA website.
AMRPA Magazine / March 2021 13
WORLDWIDE LEADERS IN BRAIN INJURY REHABILITATION. MossRehab doesn’t just practice rehabilitation medicine, we push the boundaries of what’s possible. As one of the few rehab hospitals with its own in-house research institute and designated as a Traumatic Brain Injury Model System of Care – recognizing MossRehab as a center of excellence in the research and clinical care of TBI – we create the roadmap that the rest of the field follows. That means our patients benefit from the latest advances and leading-edge ideas in brain injury rehabilitation. So if you or a loved one has sustained a brain injury, trust the rehab expertise that other hospitals look to for guidance.
Y E ARS
Challenge Accepted.
Did You Know?
All of our webinars are available online!
Missed out on a recent AMRPA webinar? Fear not! All AMRPA webinars are available on demand for purchase almost immediately following its recording.
W Eour B selection I N A here: R Browse https://amrpa.org/Education/Webinars/OnDemand-Webinars *AMRPA members receive a discount on all webinar recordings.
AMRPA Magazine / March 2021 15
Our Story: A Story of Strength By Adam Robertson, AMRPA Marketing Communications Manager
On May 30, 2015, Meredith Koch awoke from a haze of anesthesia to a new reality. She had undergone eight hours of extensive surgery during which several titanium rods, screws and a steel cage were implanted in her body to realign her spine. It was her 25th birthday. Twenty-four hours earlier, Meredith was an active, independent woman who ran half-marathons, danced in a ballet company and volunteered as an EMT on a rescue squad in Vermont. She was helping friends move into a new apartment when a piano accidentally fell directly on top of her, paralyzing her from the waist down. Finding herself in an unfamiliar role — needing to be rescued — she managed to maintain her composure and figure out what she needed to do to get safely to the hospital. After spending a week in the surgical intensive care and inpatient units of the acute care hospital, Meredith was stable enough to be admitted to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital to begin her journey of recovery. When Meredith first came to Spaulding, she was almost completely dependent on others. She couldn’t roll over in bed, sit up, get dressed, stand or shower unassisted. She had minimal feeling in
AMRPA Seeking Member Submissions of Patient Success Stories and Testimonials We are currently soliciting patient and caregiver stories and testimonials from AMRPA member hospitals to better showcase the outstanding work of our industry and membership. If you are interested in submitting a success story or testimonial, please fill out the form on this page or email Julia Scott, AMRPA Communications Coordinator, at jscott@amrpa.org.
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ˮThey push you beyond your comfort zone to really find your strength despite your injuries.ˮ
her legs. Meredith worked with many different specialists on her rehabilitation team, including an occupational therapist who helped her get back to essential activities such as dressing herself. She also worked with a physical therapist on motor training and muscle strengthening. “The therapists push you hard,” said Meredith. “They push you beyond your comfort zone to really find your strength despite your injuries.” Meredith made tremendous strides during her time at Spaulding. She was discharged home after one month. Despite needing a wheelchair most of the time, she was already able to walk short distances using a walker and leg braces. “The thought of walking at one point had been just a distant dream,” said Meredith. Today, Meredith is doing remarkably well. She has since relocated to Boston permanently and continues to build her strength as a participant in Spaulding’s Adaptive Sports program and aquatic outpatient therapy. She has become an independent monoskier, received her national classification for Paralympic swimming and regularly participates in adaptive rock climbing. Meredith has also returned to work fulltime as a cardiac rhythm and heart failure clinical specialist for a major medical device corporation. Additionally, Meredith has shared her story as a featured speaker at multiple speaking engagements, including Winterfest, Spaulding Professional Council’s annual fundraising event, and The 2016 Vermont EMS Conference. “My rehab team helped me not only to find the physical strength needed for rehab, but also the mental strength to push through the frustration and fear, the emotional strength to wipe the tears off your cheeks and to trust that when you stumble, your therapists will catch you, and the spiritual strength to believe in miracles.” Meet Meredith and hear more about her story in this video interview. This story was originally published by the Spaulding Rehabilitation Network. Edits and additions have been made for clarity and style. All photos are credited to the author. Learn more about the Spaulding Rehabilitation Network and the inpatient medical rehabilitation care services it provides. Explore the #powerofmedicalrehab and find care by visiting AMRPA’s patient website and reading other inspiring stories of recovery.
ˮMy rehab team helped me not only to find the physical strength needed for rehab, but also the mental strength...ˮ
AMRPA Magazine / March 2021 17
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03407
A Farewell
This is the final issue of AMRPA Magazine. We appreciate the support we have received for this publication over the years. Here is a retrospective of some previous covers.
April 2017 • Vol. 20, No. 4
October 2018 • Vol. 21, No.10
Charting a New Course
STRATEGIC PLANNING IN TIMES OF CHAOTIC CHANGE
June 2019 • Vol. 22, No.6
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August 2020 • Vol. 23, No. 6
December 2020 • Vol. 23, No. 7
Celebrating Excellence
S
ince 1938, Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare has served the Western U.S. and beyond as a premier provider of rehabilitation services. At the end of the day, our goal is simple: provide safe, top-quality care that gets patients back to the things they love. It’s one of the reasons why the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recently gave Casa Colina Hospital a Five-Star rating in Overall Hospital Quality—the highest possible score, given to just 8.9% of hospitals nationally. Casa Colina offers the following medical and rehabilitative services: • Acute care hospital with 68 rehabilitation beds, six intensive care unit beds, 25 private medical beds, and three surgical suites • Transitional care with 42 residential rehabilitation beds and a day treatment program • Long-term residential facilities with 90 beds for people with brain injuries • Outpatient rehabilitation centers for adults and children • Physician clinics with a broad range of medical specialties
• • • • • • • •
Hyperbaric medicine Diagnostic imaging Audiology Research institute Support groups Wellness and fitness programs Community and professional education programs Outdoor Adventures recreational therapy program
255 East Bonita Avenue (at Garey), Pomona, CA • 909/596-7733 • www.casacolina.org •
AMRPA Magazine / March 2021 21
Introducing
WellSky® Resource Manager Unlocking the data rehabilitation providers need to run efficient and effective organizations
All the information you need in one place WellSky Resource Manager unifies patient scheduling and resource management data into a single optimization platform. With real-time and predictive insights, your team can monitor, forecast, and accommodate variations in patient demand, empowering your team to take corrective actions that improve compliance, efficiently allocate labor costs, and improve revenue in just one click.
WellSky® Resource Manager features: •
Monthly budget analysis and roll-up reporting that allows you to fully understand the costs associated with delivering care.
•
Configurable productivity measures and actionable analysis that enable you to accurately measure productivity and resource usage.
•
Resource credential tracking that ensures clinical personnel are working according to their licensure.
•
Three-hour rule compliance tracking that prevents the scheduling scramble and allows care teams to manage exceptions with ease.
Elevate productivity
By leveraging both real-time and forecasted performance care teams can meet productivity targets while ensuring compliance. Roll-up reporting allows you to understand the utilization of your resources, and how they impact productivity globally. With this data, you can build or adapt strategies that allow you to thrive.
Learn how one click within WellSky® Resource Manager can transform your organization. sales@wellsky.com | 1-855-wellsky wellsky.com/demo | 1-855-wellsky | sales@wellsky.com 22 AMRPA Magazine / March 2021
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