SHP has been carefully watching the section of the IMPACT Act of 2014 that calls for the development of standardized assessment data (some based on the CARE tool tested as part of an earlier CMS PAC payment reform demonstration), that would cut across all post-acute settings. Rumors have been circulating that come 2019, all patient assessment documents (MDS, OASIS, IRF-PAI, etc.) would utilize one instrument. The goals are to have quality data common to all settings that would ultimately inform a uniform prospective payment.

Recently, we attended a CMS webinar, and our take-away was this: while certain quality measures will be utilized in all post-acute care settings, they will likely reside within existing assessment tools rather than replace them.

View the recorded PACCR webinar,
or download a PDF of the presentation

So, as we understand it so far, your beloved OASIS-C1 assessment (or whatever version we’re on by 2019), will not be replaced by a completely different assessment tool, though new standardized data elements will be incorporated to evaluate quality across the continuum of care.

Further evidence that OASIS is likely around for the long haul is the fact that come July 1, 2015, CMS is requiring agencies to submit OASIS data for a minimum of 70% of their patients or face a 2% payment cut. This is a stark contrast from the current requirement of one assessment per year. The compliance rate will be increased gradually to 90% in two years.