Tools and Resources

REQUEST: Give Feedback for Upcoming Training Topics

Maximus is in the process of planning future training events, and we want to hear from you! Click here to take an anonymous survey, or use the QR Code below to give us valuable feedback that will inform future training sessions for ND PASRR. 

RESOURCE: Swing Bed Training Materials Available on Tools & Resources Site

Thanks to everyone who attended the Swing Bed Training sessions held on March 26 and 27. If you were unable to attend the training, or would like a refresher on the topics presented, be sure to review the presentation materials linked below. 

• March 2024 Swing Bed Updates for ND Providers - Slides
   
• March 2024 Swing Bed Updates for ND Providers - Recording (52:32 mins) 

BEST PRACTICE: Keeping an Updated PathTracker Census

To properly track swing bed resident admissions/discharges/end dates, swing bed Providers will add individuals to their PathTracker census once they have logged into AssessmentPro and ensured they have selected the swing bed facility option from their facility choices. The state utilizes the PathTracker census to identify individuals who are in your swing bed unit as well as to complete follow up visits for the long-term swing bed residents, therefore Providers must maintain this census. 

PathTracker also acts as a resource for Providers, as it tracks the end dates on the most recent referral. You can access resources on how to use PathTracker by going to the North Dakota Resources Page and selecting AssessmentPro Training – Using PathTracker.

SUPPORT: Contact the ND PASRR Help Desk

Do you have questions about program processes or a current referral? Contact your North Dakota PASRR Help Desk for more information:

• Phone: 833.997.2777
• Email: NDPASRR@maximus.com

As previously communicated, beginning April 1, 2024, North Dakota Health and Human Services determined that individuals who have a service type of “Swing Bed” and have a Medicaid payment type (Medicaid/Medicaid Pending/Medicare & Medicaid/Medicare & Medicaid Pending), and who request a no time limit approval, will now begin receiving a maximum number of 365 approved days for their Level of Cares, resulting in an annual review.

When submitting a screen due to an upcoming expiration, please select the appropriate option on the Level of Care form (refer to the screenshot below – Swing Bed Resident – Swing Bed Resident whose approval period is expiring: This option should be selected if the previous approval had an end date). 

Additionally, Maximus will begin the process of adding end dates to previous referrals for individuals who fall in this population. If your facility has long-term swing bed residents who were previously given long-term approvals, this will likely impact them. 

Be sure to read on below for a couple of important process changes that will result from this update, and also register for Swing Bed Provider training sessions taking place on March 26 and 27. 

BEST PRACTICES: Swing Bed Process Updates 

1. In preparation of the change to annual reviews for individuals who are going to a swing bed who have a medicaid payment type, Maximus has created specific facilities for your swing bed unit. This means that if you are a hospital with a swing bed unit, you will have a hospital facility and a separate swing bed facility in AssessmentPro. 

You can go into your profile to add the swing bed facility by following the instructions linked here:

• Adding System User and Facility Access
   
• Changing User Facility

2. To properly track swing bed resident admissions/discharges/end dates, swing bed Providers will add individuals to their PathTracker census once they have logged into AssessmentPro and ensured they have selected the swing bed facility option from their facility choices. The state utilizes the PathTracker census to identify individuals who are in your swing bed unit and to complete follow up visits for the long-term swing bed residents, therefore Providers must maintain this census. 

PathTracker also acts as a resource for Providers, as it tracks the end dates on the most recent referral. You can access resources on how to use PathTracker by going to the North Dakota Resources Page and selecting AssessmentPro Training – Using PathTracker.

REGISTER: Swing Bed Provider Training | Tue, March 26 - OR - Wed, March 27

Be sure to join the ND PASRR team for one of two important training sessions, as we review the annual review process for swing bed users. We will walk through the process of adding a new facility to your profile and how to use PathTracker. There will also be plenty of time for Q&A associated with this process. Click the links below to register for the date and time that best fits your schedule:

• Tuesday, March 26 at 2 p.m. CT
   
• Wednesday March 27 at 9 a.m. CT

Once registered, you will receive a confirmation email containing details on how to join the meeting. 
 

SUPPORT: Contact the ND PASRR Help Desk

Do you have questions about program processes or a current referral? Contact your North Dakota PASRR Help Desk for more information:

• Phone: 833.997.2777
• Email: NDPASRR@maximus.com

Please be aware that beginning April 1, 2024, North Dakota Health and Human Services determined that individuals who have a service typeof “Swing Bed” and have a Medicaid payment type (Medicaid/Medicaid Pending/Medicare & Medicaid/Medicare & Medicaid Pending), and who request a no time limit approval, will now begin receiving a maximum number of 365 approved days for their Level of Cares, resulting in an annual review.

When submitting a screen due to an upcoming expiration, please select the appropriate option on the Level of Care form (refer to the screenshot below – Swing Bed Resident – Swing Bed Resident whose approval period is expiring: This option should be selected if the previous approval had an end date). 

Additionally, PathTracker will be modified in the coming months to include Swing Bed users. Stay tuned for more updates from the North Dakota PASRR team as these changes are rolled out. 

SUPPORT: Contact the ND PASRR Help Desk

Do you have questions about program processes or a current referral? Contact your North Dakota PASRR Help Desk for more information:

• Phone: 833.997.2777
• Email: NDPASRR@maximus.com

Maximus is holding two important training sessions during the month of February. One of these will spotlight Level I assessments and the other will focus on Level of Care. During each session, The North Dakota PASRR team will discuss common areas of concerns, troubleshooting tips, and review any updates that have already occurred or will be occurring shortly in AssessmentPro. We will have time for Q&A, so be sure to bring your questions.

Use the links below to register in advance for one or both of these informative sessions. Once registered, you will receive a confirmation containing details on how to join the meeting. 

ND PASRR Level I Provider Training | 10 a.m. CT Thursday, February 1

ND PASRR LOC Provider Training | 10 a.m. CT Tuesday, February 6
 

SUPPORT: Contact the ND PASRR Help Desk

Do you have questions about program processes or a current referral? Contact your North Dakota PASRR Help Desk for more information:

• Phone: 833.997.2777
• Email: Ascend-NDPASRR@maximus.com

PROCESS REMINDER: Level of Care Reason for Screening Guidance

It is extremely important that providers select the appropriate reason for screening option and service type when submitting Level of Care screens. Please see the guidance listed below:

Nursing facility applicant: Only select this option if an individual is a new applicant for a nursing home. Do not select this option if an individual is already residing in a nursing home.

PASRR only: Nursing facility resident who is not currently in an inpatient psychiatric hospital/unit at this time: Only select this option if the Level of Care is occurring as a part of the PASRR process. Select the appropriate option below.

1. This nursing facility resident has experienced a significant change in status or has not adequately responded to PASRR recommended services and may require a Level II evaluation
2. A previous PASRR short-term approval for nursing facility stay is expiring or has expired (e.g., Exempted Hospital Discharge, Emergency and Delirium)
3. This nursing facility resident has never had a PASRR Level I screen
4. This nursing facility resident has never had a PASRR Level II evaluation and shows signs or symptoms that indicate she/he may have a PASRR condition

PASRR only: Nursing facility resident who is currently hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital/unit: Only select this option if an individual is currently psychiatrically hospitalized and the Level of Care is occurring as a part of the PASRR process. Select the appropriate option below.

1. An evaluation is needed to ensure nursing facility readmission is appropriate
2. The individual may be readmitted to the nursing facility and a PASRR evaluation will be conducted once the readmission occurs

Nursing facility resident who is converting to Medicaid: Only select this option if someone is applying for medicaid.

Nursing facility resident who is requesting retrospective review of this individual's level of care status beginning with a date in the past.

Nursing facility resident whose approval period is expiring and needs additional time in the nursing facility: Only select this option if the individuals is residing in a nursing home and their previous Level of Care is expiring. Select the appropriate option below based on their payment source (Medicaid, Medicaid Pending, Medicare/Medicaid, and Medicare/Medicaid Pending)

Annual Review: This option should only be selected if the previous LOC approval was for 364 days.

Short-Term Approval Expiration: This option should be selected if the previous LOC approval was for any other period of time (ex. 30, 60, 90, 120 days)

Self-Pay, Private Insurance, Medicare

Nursing facility resident who has had a previous LOC approval, but has had significant medical improvement and the submitting facility is providing an update of that improvement

Swing bed applicant or swing bed resident applying to Medicaid: Only select this option if the individual is a new Swing Bed applicant OR a current Swing Bed resident applying for Medicaid.

Waiver, grant, or other service/program applicant: Only select this option if the individual is a new applicant for a waiver service. Do not select this if an individual is already a waiver or service program recipient.

Waiver, grant, or other service/program recipient whose approval period is expiring and needs additional time in the service/program: Only select this option if the individual is receiving waiver services and their previous Level of Care is expiring.
 

BEST PRACTICE: PathTracker Troubleshooting 

If you notice an individual's profile has a red exclamation point, or you believe that someone’s information is incorrect on the census, please click into the person’s name in the PathTracker Census to open their profile, and then check the episodes grid. You will be able to see where the information was pulled from which will give context to any of your questions. Once you have reviewed this, if you still have questions, please contact the Help Desk. 

Note 1: it should be noted that if you submitted a Retrospective Level of Care for an individual, you will see the end date for this assessment in PathTracker, as it is submitted after the initial assessment. Be sure to note the initial assessment end date, as you will need to resubmit before that assessment expires.

Note 2: if an individual's most recent assessment was completed in the old Legacy system, you may see overdue symbols for these individuals in PathTracker. You can check this by going into the individual's episodes grid to see if their most recent assessment was in Legacy. If this is the case, always reference the end date that is listed inside the Legacy assessment, which you can access by clicking the blue document button. We use the end date inside the assessment to send out our expiration letters.

 

SUPPORT: Contact the ND PASRR Help Desk

Do you have questions about program processes or a current referral? Contact your North Dakota PASRR Help Desk for more information:

• Phone: 833.997.2777
• Email: Ascend-NDPASRR@maximus.com

PROCESS UPDATE: Review Recent PathTracker Changes

Please be aware that PathTracker now automatically updates the End Date column to the most recent assessment in AssessmentPro that had an End Date for individuals. PathTracker will automatically sort by individuals who have assessments with approvals that will end soon. 

This is something that Facility Providers will benefit from, as you will be able to see who needs to have a new assessment completed by just checking PathTracker. You can still sort by name by clicking on the Name header in PathTracker.

Additionally, PathTracker has also created symbols to identify if the individual's assessment approval is going to end soon:
 

or is overdue: 

Troubleshooting:
 
If you notice an individual's profile has a red exclamation point, or you believe that someone’s information is incorrect on the census, please click into the person’s name in the Pathtracker Census to open their profile, and then check the episodes grid. You will be able to see where the information was pulled from which will give context to any of your questions. Once you have reviewed this, if you still have questions, please contact the Help Desk. 
 
Note 1: it should be noted that if you submitted a Retrospective Level of Care for an individual, you will see the end date for this assessment in Pathtracker, as it is submitted after the initial assessment. Be sure to note the initial assessment end date, as you will need to resubmit before that assessment expires.
 
Note 2: if an individual's most recent assessment was completed in the old Legacy system, you may see overdue symbols for these individuals in Pathtracker. You can check this by going into the individual's episodes grid to see if their most recent assessment was in Legacy. If this is the case, always reference the end date that is listed inside the legacy assessment, which you can access by clicking the blue document button. We use the end date inside the assessment to send out our expiration letters.
 

BEST PRACTICE: Regularly Updating PathTracker

Please keep in mind that the more up-to-date PathTracker is, the more accurate our short-term expiration notifications will be. PathTracker must be regularly updated any time new information becomes available. 

Every time a person admits to your facility, any time they discharge or transfer to a new location, every time someone re-admits, or in the event an individual passes away, always reflect the information in PathTracker. 

Click here to review our PathTracker Training on the North Dakota PASRR Tools & Resources site. Don't hesitate to reach out to the Help Desk if you have questions about this process.
 

PASRR GUIDE: Difference Between Short-Term Expirations and Annual Reviews 

As a reminder, as of February 1, 2022, North Dakota Department of Human Services determined that individuals who have a service type of Nursing Facility and have a Medicaid payment type (Medicaid/Medicaid Pending/Medicare & Medicaid/Medicare & Medicaid Pending) will no longer receive a Level of Care or a Level II outcome that does not have an end date. Instead, they will be given a Time Limited Approval for a maximum of 364 or 365 days so that they have an Annual Review.

When submitting a screen due to an upcoming expiration, please select the appropriate option on the Level of Care form.

• Annual Review: This option should only be selected if the previous approval was for 364 or 365 days. 
   
• Short-Term Approval Expiration: This option should be selected if the previous approval was for any other period of time (ex. 30, 60, 90, 120 days) 

SUPPORT: Contact the ND PASRR Help Desk

Do you have questions about this upcoming change, other program processes or a current referral? Contact your North Dakota PASRR Help Desk for more information:

• Phone: 833.997.2777
• Email: Ascend-NDPASRR@maximus.com

Please keep in mind that the state of Public Health Emergency is officially ending on May 11, 2023. As of this Friday, May 12, 2023, COVID-19 Categoricals will no longer be an option for assessments.

If you have any questions about this important process change, please contact the ND PASRR Help Desk.


SUPPORT: Contact the ND PASRR Help Desk

Do you have questions about this upcoming change, other program processes or a current referral? Contact your North Dakota PASRR Help Desk for more information:

• Phone: 833.997.2777
• Email: NDPASRR@maximus.com

PROCESS UPDATE: Review Recent PathTracker Changes

Please be aware that PathTracker now automatically updates the End Date column to the most recent assessment in AssessmentPro that had an End Date for individuals. PathTracker will automatically sort by individuals who have assessments with approvals that will end soon. 

This is something that Facility Providers will benefit from, as you will be able to see who needs to have a new assessment completed by just checking PathTracker. You can still sort by name by clicking on the Name header in PathTracker.
 

Additionally, PathTracker has also created symbols to identify if the individual's assessment approval is going to end soon:
 

or is overdue: 

Troubleshooting:
 
If you notice an individual's profile has a red exclamation point, or you believe that someone’s information is incorrect on the census, please click into the person’s name in the Pathtracker Census to open their profile, and then check the episodes grid. You will be able to see where the information was pulled from which will give context to any of your questions. Once you have reviewed this, if you still have questions, please contact the Help Desk. 
 
Note 1: it should be noted that if you submitted a Retrospective Level of Care for an individual, you will see the end date for this assessment in Pathtracker, as it is submitted after the initial assessment. Be sure to note the initial assessment end date, as you will need to resubmit before that assessment expires.
 
Note 2: if an individual's most recent assessment was completed in the old Legacy system, you may see overdue symbols for these individuals in Pathtracker. You can check this by going into the individual's episodes grid to see if their most recent assessment was in Legacy. If this is the case, always reference the end date that is listed inside the legacy assessment, which you can access by clicking the blue document button. We use the end date inside the assessment to send out our expiration letters.

BEST PRACTICE: Regularly Updating PathTracker

Please keep in mind that the more up-to-date PathTracker is, the more accurate our short-term expiration notifications will be. PathTracker must be regularly updated any time new information becomes available. 

Every time a person admits to your facility, any time they discharge or transfer to a new location, every time someone re-admits, or in the event an individual passes away, always reflect the information in PathTracker. 

Click here to review our PathTracker Training on the North Dakota PASRR Tools & Resources site. Don't hesitate to reach out to the Help Desk if you have questions about this process.
 

SUPPORT: Contact the ND PASRR Help Desk

Do you have questions about program processes or a current referral? Contact your North Dakota PASRR Help Desk for more information:

• Phone: 833.997.2777
• Email: Ascend-NDPASRR@maximus.com