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Test Your Knowledge Answers:

1) If a resident can walk the full distance (and do the 2 90-degree turns for the 50-foot item) with the help of 2 staff members, code dependent. However, if a resident is unable to walk the full distance even with help, then the code would be 88. For example, the resident could walk 20 feet and had to take a break to sit down and rest, the activity of walking 50 feet with 2 turns did not occur due to health conditions or safety concerns.

2) It Depends. Did the staff bring the meal to the table and clean up afterward without any specific extra help to prepare or clean up for this resident?  If yes, then it is independent. Just like getting your dinner delivered at the restaurant, you are independent with eating. But if the resident required extra help-- for example:  cutting meat or making the coffee--sugar and cream, then the code would be set up/clean up.

3) The ARD of the 5-day PPS MDS cannot be changed after day 8 ends except to adjust the ARD to the date of discharge if prior to the ARD that had originally been set. 

4) There is no impact on Medicare payment if an MDS is submitted late. However, the facility could receive a survey citation, F-tag 640 (Encoding/Transmitting Resident Assessment) if a late MDS submission is noted by surveyors.

5) The SNF ABN is utilized for Traditional Medicare only. 

6) The GG assessments must be completed by Qualified Clinicians - clinicians who can assess in your state. 

7) If there were no orders for hospice in the SNF and the resident did not receive services from hospice after admission to the SNF, it would not be coded as hospice even though the resident y had hospice in the hospital on the day they were discharged to the SNF.  Services that happened before the moment of SNF admission are not coded in Section O0110. The "while not a resident" column was removed from the MDS beginning 10/1/2023. 

8) Nothing after the ARD is coded on the MDS.