OASIS-E

The OASIS -E is set to be implemented in January, and the CY 2023 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update includes CMS’ estimated time spent for the data entry of various OASIS collection time points.  This estimation is based on reported CY 2020 assessment totals per assessment type.  Using this CY 2020 data, CMS speculates clinicians will spend 57.3 minutes on the OASIS-E Start of Care assessment and its 203 data elements.  The next two top time consuming assessments are Resumption of Care at 48 minutes and Discharge at 40.2 minutes.  This, of course, does not include other required comprehensive assessment items required by the Conditions of Participation.  Interestingly enough, approximately one-third of those assessments used for CMS’ calculations were for OASIS collection on non-Medicare/Medicaid patients in CY2020.  It’s unclear if CMS has studied the difference between rate of data collection for non-Medicare/Medicaid patients to those with Medicare/Medicaid payer sources.  This information would be key since the proposed rule also recommends home health agencies to collect OASIS data on patients of all payer sources beginning in January 2024 as a result of proposed changes in HH Quality Reporting.  CMS has estimated agencies will incur an increased financial burden as a result of these changes.  Remember you still have time to comment. The deadline for public comments is 5pm EST on August 16, 2022.  Be heard!