Polaris Group
HOME
Polaris Group
 
News and Regulations
Polaris Pulse Newsletter
Regulatory Updates
Polaris Pulse Archives
Polaris Pulse Archives
Entire articles are available for download in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF). The free Acrobat Reader is required to view PDF documents.
CMS POSTS MEDICARE PREMIUMS & DEDUCTIBLES FOR CALENDAR YEAR (CY) 2012
The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), released a Fact Sheet, announcing the Medicare premium rates and deductibles for 2012 for Medicare, Parts A, B and D.
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) Work Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) Work Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2012 provides brief descriptions of activities that OIG plans to initiate or continue in FY 2012, which runs from October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012. The following key items are addressed in the FY 2012 work plan for Nursing Homes.
CMS Publishes MDS 3.0 RAI Manual Updates
CMS published the updates to the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) manual for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). These updates will be effective October 1, 2011. The manual contains both the updated version files (new for FY 2012)
and earlier version (no change) files.
CMS Posts Transition Document for FY 2012 FINAL RULE
The SNF PPS Final Rule outlined several changes effective for FY 2012. CMS posted a memo which describes the transition guidelines for these policies.
CMS has published parts of the RAI manual for MDS 3.0.
Coding of Flu Vaccine on the MDS
OIG Work Plan for Fiscal Year 2010 - Nursing Homes
Federal Guidelines Encourage Employers to Plan Now for Upcoming Influenza
Priority Order of Quality Indicator Survey (QIS)
SPECIAL PRESENTATION—5 Star Quality Rating System
RAC Attack! Are you ready for a RAC Audit?
Proposed Changes to the Prospective Payment System and Rate Year 2010 Rates
Medicare Announces Sites for Pilot Program to Improve Quality as Patients Move Across Care Settings
CMS Releases Updated Special Facility Focus List
Revised Quality of Care Guidance at F309
OIG Supplemental Compliance Program Guidance for Nursing Facilities
New HIPAA Privacy Rule Guidance for Providers
Revised Guidance to Surveyors - F325 & F371
2009 Medicare Premiums Deductibles and Coinsurance
ICD-9-CM ANNUAL UPDATE
Fiscal Year 2009 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System
(SNF PPS) Final Rule

Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act, 2008
SPECIAL EDITION PULSE - Update on Therapy Caps
June 27, 2008 special edition
Therapy Cap Exception Process Update
June 25, 2008 edition
Exceptions to Therapy Caps Restricted July 1, 2008
June 11, 2008 edition
Assignment of Providers to MACs
May 5, 2008 edition
2008 Medicare Deductible, Coinsurance and Therapy Caps
January 8, 2008
Fiscal Year 2008 OIG Work Plan
October 24, 2007
CMS Issues New Survey Tag F373 - Paid Feeding Assistants
August 23, 2007
Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Payment Rates for Fiscal Year 2008
August 10, 2007
Revised F-Tags 323 adnd 324 - Accidents and Hazards
CMS Announces NPI Data Dissemination Policy
June 13, 2007
CMS Proposes SNF Payment Increase for Fiscal Year 2008
May 10, 2007
CMS Issues Contingency Plan for the National Provider Identifier (NPI) Rule
April 11, 2007
Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) Recommendations to Congress
March 28, 2007
CMS Renames the Medicare/Medicaid Provider Number
March 13, 2007
NPI - Do You Have It? Are You Sharing It? Are You Using It?
February 23, 2007
Part B Therapy Cap Relief for 2007
January 3 , 2007
Physician Fee Schedule 2007 - Final Rule
November 9, 2006
Flu Season is Here -
Are you ready for the New Regulations and Quality Measures?

October 26, 2006
Medicare Nursing Home Payments to Increase in 2007
August 1, 2006
CMS Issues DRAFT Revision to Surveyor Guidance at F-Tag 309 - Pain
July 14, 2006
CMS Issues Guidance for Benefits Exhaust and No-Payment Bills
June 12 , 2006
Who, What, When, Why & How of the National Provider Identifier (NPI)
May 31 , 2006
New, Revised and Draft Guidance to Surveyors Apr. 19, 2006
Therapy Cap Exception Process Feb. 16, 2006
Outpatient Therapy Caps Return for 2006 Jan. 16, 2006
Rehab Plus Extensive Services – Criteria to Achieve and RUG Assignment Anomalies Dec. 16, 2005
Medicare Part D & Its Impact on Nursing Home Surveys Nov. 10, 2005
Revisions to the State Operations Manual for Long Term Care
Oct. 27, 2005
CMS FAQs Related to Hurricane Katrina Sept. 20, 2005
RUG Refinements Posed to Significantly Impact Your 2006 Budget
August 23, 2005
Hepatitis B Transmission in Nursing Homes July 11, 2005
New Independent, Expedited Review Process for SNF Notices of Non-Coverage June 15, 2005
Top of pageTop of page