February 2001

Information Bulletin 01-06
MHC-29

MDH Monitoring For Home Health Agency Compliance
With OASIS Submission Requirements

Purpose

This Informational Bulletin is a reminder that OASIS submission requirements have been in effect since August, 1999 for skilled Medicare and Medicaid patients and that the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) will be monitoring compliance with OASIS submission on a quarterly basis, at the time of the certification survey and as needed.

What Are the Requirements for OASIS Submissions?

CFR 484.20 Condition of Participation: Reporting OASIS information states:

"HHAs must electronically report all OASIS data collected in accordance with CFR 484.55".

CFR 484.55 states, under Condition of Participation: Comprehensive assessment of patients states:

"Each patient must receive, and an HHA must provide, a patient specific, comprehensive assessment that accurately reflects the patient's current health status and includes information that may be used to demonstrate the patient's progress toward achievement of desired outcomes. The comprehensive assessment must identify the patient's continuing need for home care and meet the patient's medical, nursing, rehabilitative, social and discharge planning needs. For Medicare beneficiaries, the HHA must verify the patient's eligibility for the Medicare home health benefit including homebound status, both at the time of the initial assessment visit and at the time of the comprehensive assessment. The comprehensive assessment must also incorporate the use of the current version of the Outcome and Assessment Information Set (OASIS) items, using the language and groupings of the OASIS items, as specified by the Secretary."

What Role Will the MDH Play Regarding OASIS Submission Requirements?

Submissions of electronic OASIS reports by HHAs in Minnesota will be reviewed by MDH for compliance with CFR 484.20 and CFR 484.55 as well as other OASIS requirements on a quarterly and/or as needed basis. Surveyors will continue to review OASIS reports and submissions as part of the certification survey process.

Agencies identified as not having submitted OASIS reports for Medicare/Medicaid skilled patients will be contacted by telephone to determine why OASIS data is not being submitted.

As appropriate, deficiencies will be cited for non-compliance.

What If My Agency Is Having Difficulty Meeting The Requirements?

If you have questions of a clinical nature, please contact:

OASIS Clinical Help Line:

651-201-4314
health.oasis@health.state.mn.us

If your question is of a technical nature, contact:

OASIS Technical Help Line:

651-201-3817
health.MdsOasisTech@state.mn.us