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Therapy eNews

February 2012.
Helpful Tips for Providers

   

Qsource arrowWhen performing Speech evaluations, the child's functional hearing must be formally or informally assessed and documented. 

 

Section II-214.400 C-2, h; C-3, i; C-4, j; C-5, i; C-6, h Arkansas Medicaid Provider Manual

  

Qsource arrowIf applicable, test results should be adjusted for prematurity (less than 37 weeks gestation) if the child is 12 months of age or younger, and this should be noted in the evaluation.

 

OT/PT: Section II-214.300 B-6 Arkansas Medicaid Provider Manual

ST: Section II-214.400 C-2, f; C-3, f; C-4, g; C-5, f; C-6, g Arkansas Medicaid Provider Manual

  

Qsource arrow
 Progress notes must contain the following:  
  1. Child's name.
  2. Date of service.
  3. Time in/out of each therapy session.
  4. Objectives addressed (should coincide with the plan of care)
  5. A description of specific therapy services provided daily and the activities rendered during each therapy session, along with a form measurement.
  6. Progress notes must be legible.
  7. Therapists must sign each date of entry with a full signature and credentials.
  8. Graduate students must have the supervising physical therapist or occupational therapists co-sign progress notes. 

 

OT/PT: Section II-214.300 E 1-8 Arkansas Medicaid Provider Manual

ST: Section II-214.400 E 1-8 Arkansas Medicaid Provider Manual

 
Q & A about Medicaid

Question: When a child is premature (less than 37 weeks gestation) and 12 months of age or younger, how do you calculate a child's adjusted age for testing?

To calculate a child's gestational age, subtract the number of weeks born before 40 weeks of gestation from the chronological age. Therefore, a 7-month-old, former 28 week gestational age infant has a corrected age of 4 months according to the following equation:

7 months - [(40 weeks) - 28 weeks/4 weeks]
7 months - [(12)/4 weeks]
7 months - [3]   
4 months

    

Question: Can I bill for therapy conducted by an unlicensed therapy student? 

 

Therapy services carried out by an unlicensed therapy student may be covered only when the following criteria are met:

  • Therapies performed by an unlicensed student must be under the direction of a licensed therapist, and the direction is such that the licensed therapist is considered to be providing the medical assistance.
  • To qualify as providing the service, the licensed therapist must be present and engaged in student oversight during the entirety of an encounter that the provider expects Medicaid to cover. 

 

Section II-214.000 H Arkansas Medicaid Provider Manual

 

12.QSAR.02.010