The Draft version of the OASIS-E1 Instrument has been released by CMS giving home health agencies an early look at the changes to the OASIS taking effect January 1, 2025
The OASIS document requires updating to accommodate some changes related to policy, including the end of the temporary suspension for non-Medicare/non-Medicaid home health patients and modifying OASIS items to align with HHQRP, payment calculation, and the COPs.
Starting 2025, all home health agencies must collect OASIS data for all patient regardless of payor source, with exemptions for those under 18, receiving maternity services, or getting only personal care, housekeeping, or chore services. A penalty-free phase-in period runs from January 1 to June 30, 2025, with mandatory collection and reporting beginning for discharges on or after July 1, 2025.
Here is a summary of the planned changes OASIS Data Set:
Removal of Items
The upcoming changes will include the removal of the Discharge Goal column from GG0130 Self-Care and GG0170 Mobility from the Start of Care/Resumption of Care timepoints. This coincides with the removal of the quality measure “Application of Percent of Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Patients with an Admission and Discharge Functional Assessment and a Care Plan That Addresses Function.”
In addition, the changes include the removal of M0110 Episode Timing and M2200 Therapy Need. Before PDGM was introduced in 2020, these were used to calculate reimbursement, but they are no longer applicable.
These items currently cause confusion to clinicians and require them additional time to complete the assessments. CMS estimates the implementation of these changes in CY 2025 will reduce cost by $5,123,430.
Addition of New Item O0350
OASIS-E1 will also include the addition of NEW item O0350 “Patient’s COVID-19 vaccination is up-to-date”. Official guidance regarding this item is yet unavailable. As we progress, it will become a significant topic of discussion, addressing how it should be completed, the permitted data sources, and what qualifies as “up-to-date.”
Updated Language and Instructions
OASIS-E1 provides clarity to the response choices in M2420 Discharge Disposition, addressing a previous discrepancy. The scoring guidance for M2420 changed in 2020, but the wording of the response choices remained unchanged, leading to confusion and inaccurate responses. The updated language in the responses now aligns with the current guidance, ensuring more accurate scoring of the item.
Since OASIS-E was introduced in 2023, there have been numerous updates and Q&As regarding the instructions and scoring for D0150 Patient Mood Interview. The item had conflicting language and instructions within the assessment, causing confusion to clinicians. OASIS-E1 will feature updated language that aligns with current guidance, providing clear instructions on when to discontinue the interview and when to keep going after completing D0150A1 and D0150B1.
Access the draft version of the OASIS-E1 Instrument from the CMS Home Health Quality reporting OASIS Data Set website. CMS will release the final OASIS-E1 Guidance Manual at a later date.
