Posted by: Robert Markette
January 05, 2006

On December 23, 2005, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services published the final rule of reporting OASIS data as part of the conditions of participation.  The requirements of this final rule become effective on June 21, 2006.

The new oasis rule makes a number of changes.  Beginning on June 21, 2006, home health agencies will have thirty days from the completion of the patient assessment to encode and transmit the OASIS data.  Currently, HHAs must have the data encoded within seven days. 

The final rule also removes the requirement that the OASIS data be locked.  The lock requirement was removed so that agencies could make changes to OASIS data at any time without receiving edit warnings.  The decision to allow agencies to make corrections at any time, led to the decision to allow agencies thirty days to submit OASIS data. 

The final regulation includes a requirement that agencies include the CMS assigned branch identification number.  This change in the regulation simply reflects current OASIS reporting.  Although originally the branch identifier was an optional item in the OASIS data set, agencies have been required to include branch identification numbers in their OASIS data since the implementation of the December 2002 OASIS B-1 data set which became effective on January 1, 2004.  This data set requires the agency to include the branch identifier in order to submit data.  CMS has simply made the rule reflect this reality. 

Finally, because of the changes to 484.20(a), CMS removed 484.20(c)(1) which required agencies to transmit the information monthly.  Paragraphs 484.20(c)(2)-(4) were redesignated as paragraph 484.20(c)(1)-(3).  The requirement to include a branch identification number was then added as a new paragraph 484.20(c)(4).

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