Hello, I was reading the thread a few weeks past regarding billing and the 2
day rule in acute care hospitals for O&P billing. My question is this: how
does this apply to billing in acute rehab hospitals? To the best of my
knowledge out the way it works at my facility is as follows: Rehab team
orders orthosis, Hanger or other company completes order and provides
orthosis to pt. Rehab hospital is billed by Hanger. As far as I can tell
the rehab hospital pays the bill out of the compensation provided by
Medicare. I know this is simplified but there is a reason for this
question.
The administration, in an ever-present quest to reduce costs, has
suggested that we (the rehab team) order too many orthotics. Furthermore
they suggested that they not be ordered as when pt becomes an outpatient or
during the last 2 days of the stay. I am sure the pitfalls of this
suggestion are obvious to all clinicians, but I would like to hear what the
legal billing guidelines are.
Thanks in advance for your time
Scott Bleakley MSPT
