Re: HCFA Decides to Count Student Minutes on SNFs

[Guest guest]

and/or Jerome: Is the statement below accurate? I do not see a

" correction " in the preamble language as it is written here....it still

states that " none of the minutes of therapy services....may be recorded...as

minutes of therapy "

Trager, PT

Rehabilitation Services Manager

Kaweah Delta Health Care District

Visalia, CA.

With this correction, the preamble language in the rule reads as follows:

" A therapy student who is participating in field experience must also

be under the line-of-sight " level of supervision of the professional

therapist. Even though these students may become licensed therapists

within months of the field training portion of their school program,

they are not licensed or certified for practice in an unsupervised

status. Further, none of the minutes of therapy services provided

by the students may be recorded on the MDS as minutes of therapy received

by the beneficiary.

HCFA also clarifies that the " pass-through " provision referenced in

the July regulations does not apply to therapy student field experience

in skilled nursing facilities. This correction is effective September

28, 1999.

HCFA did not make any changes to its policy on supervision of therapy

students. However, HCFA has expressed a willingness to examine this

issue in the near future.

Jerome B Connolly, PT

Senior Vice President

Division of Health Policy

APTA

R. Kovacek, MSA, PT

Email Pkovacek@...

313 884-8920

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