Mds 101

Front 1

The time period during which the assessment coordinator starts the assessment until it is signed as complete.

Back 1

Assessment Period

Front 2

The specific end point for look-back periods in the MDS assessment process. Almost all MDS items refer to the resident’s status over a designated time period referring back in time from the ARD. Most frequently, this look-back period, also called the observation or assessment period, is a 7-day period ending on the ARD. Look-back periods may cover the 7 days ending on this date, 14 days ending on this date, etc.

Back 2

Assessment Reference Date (ARD)

Front 3

The period of time defined by Medicare regulations that specifies when the ARD must be set.

Back 3

Assessment Window

Front 4

The BIMS is a brief screener that aids in detecting cognitive impairment. It does not assess all possible aspects of cognitive impairment.

Back 4

Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS)

Front 5

Care Area Assessment (CAA)
The review of one or more of the twenty conditions, symptoms, and other areas of con- cern that are commonly identified or suggested by MDS findings. Care areas are triggered by responses on the MDS item set.

Back 5

Care Area Assessment (CAA)

Front 6

A set of items and responses from the MDS that are indicators of particular issues and conditions that affect nursing facility residents.

Back 6

Care Area Triggers (CAT)

Front 7

Weight or numeric score assigned to each Resource Utilization Group (RUG-III, RUG-IV) that reflects the relative resources predicted to provide care to a resident. The higher the case mix weight, the greater the resource requirements for the resident.

Back 7

Case Mix Index (CMI)

Front 8

A payment system that measures the intensity of care and services required for each resi- dent, and translates these measures into the amount of reimbursement given to the facility for care of a resident. Payment is linked to the intensity of resource use.

Back 8

Case Mix Reinbursement System

Front 9

Replaces the term “Medicare/Medicaid Provider Number” in survey and certification, and assessment-related activities.

Back 9

CMS Certification Number (CCN)

Front 10

Federal agency that administers the Medicare, Medicaid, and Child Health Insurance Programs

Back 10

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Servuces (CMS)

Front 11

Requires completion of the MDS and review of CAAs, followed by development and/or review of the comprehensive care plan.

Back 11

Comprehensive Assessment

Front 12

An instrument that screens for overall cognitive impairment as well as features to distin- guish delirium or reversible confusion from other types of cognitive impairments.

Back 12

Confusion Assessment Method (CAM)

Front 13

Each state has designated a local contact agency responsible for contacting the individual with information about community living options. This local contact agency may be a single entry point agency, an Aging/Disabled Resource Center, an Area Agency on Aging, a Center for Independent Living, or other state contractor. A list of LCA point of contacts can be found on CMS’ website: https://www.cms.gov/CommunityServices/downloads/ LCA_Point_of_Contact_List.pdf

Back 13

Designated Local Contact Agency

Front 14

Nursing facilities that participate in both the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Back 14

Dually Certified Facilities

Front 15

A fatal record error that results from a resubmission of a record previously accepted into the CMS MDS database. A duplicate record is identified as having the same target date, reason for assessment, resident, and facility. This is the only fatal record error that does not require correction and resubmission.

Back 15

Duplicate Assessment Error

Front 16

The initial date of admission/entry to the nursing home, or the date on which the resident most recently re-entered the nursing home after being discharged (whether or not the return was anticipated).

Back 16

EntryDate

Front 17

Assigned to each nursing facility by the State agency, must be placed in the individual MDS and tracking form records. This nor- mally is completed as a function within the facility’s MDS data entry software.

Back 17

Facility ID (Fac_ID)

Front 18

An error in the MDS file format that causes the entire file to be rejected. The individual records are not validated or stored in the database. The facility must contact its software support to resolve the problem with the submission file.

Back 18

Fatal Error File

Front 19

An error in MDS record that is severe enough to result in record rejection. A fatal record is not saved in the CMS database. The facility must correct the error that caused the rejec- tion and resubmit a corrected original record.

Back 19

Fatal Record Error

Front 20

The official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as Executive Orders and other Presidential Documents. It is a publi- cation of the National Archives and Records Administration, and is available by subscrip- tion and online.

Back 20

Federal Registar

Front 21

A report generated after the successful submission of MDS 3.0 assessment data. This report lists all of the residents for whom assessments have been submitted in a particular submission batch, and displays all errors and/or warnings that occurred during the valida- tion process. An FVR with a submission type of “production” is a facility’s documentation for successful file submission. An individual record listed on the FVR marked as “accept- ed” is documentation for successful record submission.

Back 21

Final Validation Report (FVR)

Front 22

In the past, an organization designated by CMS to process Medicare claims for payment that are submitted by a nursing facility. Fiscal intermediaries (FIs) are now called Medi- care Administrative Contractors (MACs).

Back 22

Fiscal Intermediary (FI)

Front 23

Numerical designations for criteria reviewed during the nursing facility survey.

Back 23

F Tag

Front 24

Predetermined additional days that may be added to the assessment window for Medi- care scheduled assessments without incurring financial penalty. These may be used in situations such as an absence/illness or reassignment of the registered nurse (RN) assess- ment coordinator, or an unusually large number of assessments due at approximately the same time. Grace days may also be used to more fully capture therapy minutes or other treatments.

Back 24

Grace Days

Front 25

A uniform coding system that describes medical services, procedures, products, and sup- plies. These codes are used primarily for billing.

Back 25

Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS)

Front 26

Federal law that gives the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) the au- thority to mandate regulations that govern privacy, security, and electronic transactions standards for health care information.

Back 26

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPPA)

Front 27

Billing codes used when submitting claims to the MACs (previously FIs) for Medicare payment. Codes comprise the RUG category calculated by the assessment followed by an indicator to indicate which assessment was completed.

Back 27

Health Insurance Prospective Payment System (HIPPS)