OHCA Policies and Rules

317:35-19-9. PASRR screening process

[Revised 09-01-17]

(a) Level I screen for PASRR.

(1) OHCA Form LTC-300R, Nursing Facility Level of Care Assessment, must be completed by an authorized NF official or designee. An authorized NF official or designee must consist of one of the following:

(A) The NF administrator or co-administrator;

(B) A licensed nurse, social service director, or social worker from the facility; or

(2) Prior to admission, the authorized NF official must evaluate the properly completed OHCA Form LTC-300R and the Minimum Data Set (MDS), if available, as well as all other readily available medical and social information, to determine if there currently exists any indication of mental illness (MI), intellectual disability (ID), or other related condition, or if such condition existed in the applicant's past history. Form LTC-300R constitutes the Level I PASRR Screen and is utilized in determining whether or not a Level II is necessary prior to allowing the member to be admitted.

(3) The NF is responsible for determining from the evaluation whether or not the member can be admitted to the facility. A "yes" response to any question from Form LTC-300R, Section E, will require the NF to contact the Level of Care Evaluation Unit (LOCEU) for a consultation to determine if a Level II assessment is needed. The facility is also responsible for consulting with the LOCEU regarding any mental illness, an intellectual disability, or related condition information that becomes known either from completion of the MDS or throughout the resident's stay. The original Form LTC-300R must be submitted to the LOCEU by mail within ten (10) days of the resident's admission. SoonerCare payment may not be made for a resident whose LTC-300R requirements have not been satisfied in a timely manner.

(4) Upon receipt and review of the PASRR eligibility information packet, the LOCEU may, in coordination with the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKHDS) area nurse, re-evaluate whether a Level II PASRR assessment may be required. If a Level II assessment is not required, as determined by the LOCEU, the area nurse, or nurse designee, documents this and continues with the process of determining medical eligibility. If a Level II is required, a medical decision is not made until the area nurse is notified of the outcome of the Level II assessment. The results of the Level II assessment are considered in the medical eligibility decision. The area nurse, or nurse designee, makes the medical eligibility decision within ten (10) working days of receipt of the medical information when a Level II assessment is not required. If a Level II assessment is required, the area nurse makes the decision within five working days if appropriate.

(b) Pre-admission Level II assessment for PASRR. The authorized official is responsible for consulting with the OHCA LOCEU in determining whether a Level II assessment is necessary. The decision for Level II assessment is made by the LOCEU.

(1) Any one of the following three (3) circumstances will allow a member to enter the NF without being subjected to a Level II PASRR assessment:

(A) The member has no current indication of mental illness or an intellectual disability or other related condition and there is no history of such condition in the member's past;

(B) The member does not have a diagnosis of an intellectual disability or related condition; or

(C) The member has indications of mental illness or an intellectual disability or other related condition, but is not a danger to self and/or others, and is being released from an acute care hospital as part of a medically prescribed period of recovery (Exempted Hospital Discharge). If an individual is admitted to an NF based on Exempted Hospital Discharge, it is the responsibility of the NF to ensure that the individual is either discharged by the 30th day or that a Level II has been requested and is in process. Exempted Hospital Discharge is allowed only if all of the following three (3) conditions are met:

(i) The individual must be admitted to the NF directly from a hospital after receiving acute inpatient care at the hospital (not including psychiatric facilities);

(ii) The individual must require NF services for the condition for which he/she received care in the hospital; and

(iii) The attending physician must certify before admission to the facility that the individual is likely to require less than thirty (30) days of nursing facility services. The NF will be required to furnish documentation to the OHCA upon request.

(2) If the member has current indications of mental illness or an intellectual disability or other related condition, or if there is a history of such condition in the member's past, the member cannot be admitted to the NF until the LOCEU is contacted to determine if a Level II PASRR assessment must be performed. Results of any Level II PASRR assessment ordered must indicate that NF care is appropriate prior to allowing the member to be admitted.

(3) The OHCA Level of Care Evaluation Unit authorizes Advance Group Determinations for the MI and ID Authorities in the categories listed in the following categories listed in (A) through (C) of this paragraph. Preliminary screening by the LOCEU should indicate eligibility for NF level of care prior to consideration of the provisional admission.

(A) Provisional admission in cases of delirium. Any person with mental illness, an intellectual disability or related condition who is not a danger to self and/or others, may be admitted to a Title XIX certified NF if the individual is experiencing a condition that precludes screening, i.e., effects of anesthesia, medication, unfamiliar environment, severity of illness, or electrolyte imbalance.

(i) A Level II evaluation is completed immediately after the delirium clears. LOCEU must be provided with written documentation by a physician that supports the individual's condition which allows provisional admission as defined in (i) of this subparagraph.

(ii) Payment for NF services will not be made after the provisional admission ending date. If an individual is determined to need a longer stay, the individual must receive a Level II evaluation before continuation of the stay may be permitted and payment made for days beyond the ending date.

(B) Provisional admission in emergency situations. Any person with a mental illness, an intellectual disability or related condition, who is not a danger to self and/or others, may be admitted to a Title XIX certified NF for a period not to exceed seven days pending further assessment in emergency situations requiring protective services. The request for Level II evaluation must be made immediately upon admission to the NF if a longer stay is anticipated. LOCEU must be provided with written documentation from Adult Protective Services or the facility which supports the individual's emergency admission. Payment for NF services will not be made beyond the emergency admission ending date.

(C) Respite care admission. Any person with mental illness, an intellectual disability or related condition, who is not a danger to self and/or others, may be admitted to a Title XIX certified NF to provide respite to in-home caregivers to whom the individual is expected to return following the brief NF stay. Respite care may be granted up to fifteen (15) consecutive days per stay, not to exceed thirty (30) days per calendar year.

(i) In rare instances, such as illness of the caregiver, an exception may be granted to allow thirty (30) consecutive days of respite care. However, in no instance can respite care exceed thirty (30) days per calendar year.

(ii) Respite care must be approved by LOCEU staff prior to the individual's admission to the NF. The NF provides the LOCEU with written documentation concerning circumstances surrounding the need for respite care, the date the individual wishes to be admitted to the facility, and the date the individual is expected to return to the caregiver. Payment for NF services will not be made after the respite care ending date.

(c) PASRR Level II resident review. The resident review is used primarily as a follow-up to the pre-admission assessment.

(1) The facility's routine resident assessment will identify those individuals previously undiagnosed as intellectually disabled or mentally ill. A new condition of intellectual disabilities or mental illness must be referred to LOCEU by the NF for determination of the need for the Level II. The facility's failure to refer such individuals for a Level II assessment may result in recoupment of funds and/or penalties from CMS.

(2) A Level II resident review may be conducted the following year for each resident of a NF who was found to experience a serious mental illness with no primary diagnosis of dementia on his or her pre-admission Level II to determine whether, because of the resident's physical and mental condition, the resident requires specialized services.

(3) A Level II resident review may be conducted for each resident of a NF who has mental illness or an intellectual disability or other related condition when there is a significant change in the resident's mental condition. If such a change should occur in a resident's condition, it is the responsibility of the facility to have a consultation with the LOCEU concerning the need to conduct a resident review.

(4) Individuals who were determined to have a serious mental illness on their last PASRR Level II evaluation will receive a resident review at least within one year of the previous evaluation.

(d) Results of pre-admission Level II assessment and Resident Review. Through contractual arrangements between the OHCA and the Mental Illness/Intellectual Disabilities Authorities/ Community Mental Health Centers, individualized assessments are conducted and findings presented in written evaluative reports. The reports recommend if NF services are needed, if specialized services or less than specialized services are needed, and if the individual meets the federal PASRR definition of mental illness or intellectual disability or related conditions. Evaluative reports are delivered to the OHCA's LOCEU within federal regulatory and state contractual timelines to allow the LOCEU to process formal, written notification to member, guardian, NF and significant others.

(e) Evaluation of pre-admission Level II or Resident Review assessment to determine Medicaid medical eligibility for long term care. The determination of medical eligibility for care in a NF is made by the area nurse (or nurse designee) unless the individual has an intellectual disability or related condition or a serious mental illness. The procedures for obtaining and submitting information required for a decision are outlined in this subsection. When an active long term care member enters the facility and nursing care is being requested:

(1) The pre-admission screening process must be performed and must allow the member to be admitted.

(2) The facility will notify the local county office by the OKDHS Form 08MA083E, Notification Regarding Patient in a Nursing Facility, Intermediate Care Facility for the Mentally Retarded or Hospice and Form 08MA084E, Management of Recipient's Funds, of the member's admission.

(3) The local county office will send the NF the OKDHS Form 08MA038E, Notice Regarding Financial Eligibility, indicating actions that are needed or have been taken regarding the member.

Disclaimer. The OHCA rules found on this Web site are unofficial. The official rules are published by the Oklahoma Secretary of State Office of Administrative Rules as Title 317 of the Oklahoma Administrative Code. To order an official copy of these rules, contact the Office of Administrative Rules at (405) 521-4911.