Case Mix Review
Case Mix Review
Frequently-Asked Questions
This page includes answers to frequently-asked questions about how to complete the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0, the Optional State Assessment (OSA), Section S of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) assessment, and other requirements.
Providers are encouraged to use the information provided in the Minnesota Case Mix Review Manual and the answers below to complete their coding. If you have questions or need additional assistance, please contact Case Mix Review staff at Health.MDS@state.mn.us.
- Reconsiderations
- Admission Assessment Requirements
- General Questions about the OSA
- Completing the OSA
- OSA When Therapy Services End
- OSA When Isolation Services End
- Completing Section S of the OBRA
- Troubleshooting
Reconsiderations
Should the resident, or their representative, complete and submit the Request for Reconsideration form, or are facilities expected to complete this form and submit the reconsideration?
The facility staff should complete and submit the Request for Reconsideration form to the Case Mix Review Program on behalf of the resident or their representative. For more information, please see the section titled Request for Reconsideration of a Resident's Case Mix Classification and the Request for Reconsideration Form in the Minnesota Case Mix Review Manual.
Admission Assessment Requirements
General Questions about the OSA
The OSA is required for most admissions to nursing facilities that are Medicare and Medicaid certified regardless of who the payer is. The OSA is required:
- Each time an OBRA comprehensive, quarterly, or Significant Correction to prior Quarterly Assessment (SCQA) assessment is completed, and
- When all therapy and isolation services end, if the most recent assessment (either an OBRA assessment with an ARD on or before 9/30/2023 or an OSA with an ARD on or after 10/1/2023) resulted in a rehabilitation or isolation RUG-IV classification in Z0200A.
The OSA is NOT required when completing a stand-alone Discharge or Prospective Payment System (PPS) Assessment or Tracking Record.
The following facilities are NOT required to complete the OSA:
- Facilities that do not accept Medicaid
- Swing Beds
- VA Facilities
- Any facility that has elected the Short Stay option AND the resident’s stay is 14 days or less.
If the resident’s stay is more than 14 days, the admission assessment and OSA are required.
Currently, Minnesota Statutes indicate a SCSA must be completed when all therapy and isolation services end. We are looking at getting the statutory language changed in the next legislative session. Effective 10/1/2023, Minnesota Case Mix assessment processing staff will be looking for an Optional State Assessment (OSA) with A0300B coded a “5” when all therapies and isolation services end. The ARD requirements for End of Therapy (day 8) and End of Isolation (day 15) OSA do not change.
The OSA will generate a new classification notice for State Medicaid Billing purposes. If the OSA is missing or the ARD of the OSA is not set timely, a penalty will be applied to the assessment.
Yes, the resident’s payer source is not a factor in determining whether the OSA is required. The requirement for an OSA applies to all facilities that participate in the State Medicaid Program, regardless of the resident’s payer source.
If the facility does not participate in the Medicaid program e.g., Veterans Administration facilities, this requirement does not apply.
Completing the OSA
Several items necessary to calculate a RUG-IV classification were removed from the OBRA assessments and RAI Manual but remain on the OSA. These items are: A0300, D0200, D0300, G0110, K0510, O0100, O0450, O0600, O0700, and X0570. Instructions for completing these items are included in the OSA Manual.
The OSA Manual can be downloaded from the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 Resident Assessment Instrument (RAI) Manual (cms.gov) website. Scroll down to the Download section. Instructions for completing the remaining items on the OSA can be found in the respective sections of Chapter 3 of the RAI Manual. The guidance in the OSA Manual should only be applied when completing an OSA.
No. In Minnesota, we do not use the following OSA options:
- Start of Therapy,
- End of Therapy,
- Both Start and End of Therapy, or
- Change of Therapy.
If the facility chooses to complete an assessment to capture the addition of rehab or isolation services, one of the appropriate Federal OBRA assessment options in item A0310A must be completed.
OSA When Therapy Services End
OSA When Isolation Services End
If the resident dies or is DRNA prior to or on day 15, the OSA is not required.
However, if the resident is DRA on or prior to day 15, and if isolation was coded on their most recent assessment, either an OBRA assessment with ARD on or before 9/30/2023, or an OSA with ARD 10/1/2023 or later, and the assessment resulted in a State Medicaid RUG classification of ES1, CA1, or CA2, the OSA is required when isolation services end. The ARD of the OSA must be set on day 15 after reentry to the facility. The day of reentry is considered day one when determining the ARD.