For OASIS items that require a clinical assessment such as height, weight, functional status and pressure ulcers, agencies should base their responses on assessments done by agency staff and not directly from documentation from a previous care setting. 
 
This was clarified by CMS in the January quarterly OASIS Q&As — released Jan. 21. The most recent update included five questions. 
 
Additional topics covered in the January release include:  
  • Whether you need to discharge and readmit non-Medicare/Non-Medicaid patients who were on service in December 2024 and remain on service on or after Jan. 1. 
  • Which OASIS time points are required for non-Medicare/non-Medicaid patients during the six-month voluntary submission period. 
  • Private insurance vs. private HMO/managed care when answering M0150 (Current Payment Sources for Home Care). 
For a full story, see the upcoming issues of Home Health Line and Diagnosis Coding Pro for Home Health.  
  
Editor’s note: To view the full CMS January 2025 quarterly OASIS Q&As, visit https://tinyurl.com/5n6pufjk.