Awareness of Medicare Regulation Changes: Occupational Therapists' Perceptions and Implications for Practice

ABSTRACT

Aims: Occupational therapists who work with Medicare beneficiaries should keep abreast about Medicare regulations relevant to practice. This study identified how occupational therapists employed by contractual companies working in skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) learn and interpret changes about Medicare regulations impacting practice. Methods: Researchers analyzed qualitative data from 11 occupational therapists employed in a Midwest metropolitan area through an open-ended questionnaire, focus group, and phone interview. Results: Major themes identified included primary reliance on company resources to learn about Medicare regulation changes, reasons therapists were for or against utilization of noncompany resources for enhanced awareness, barriers to, and suggestions for deepening understanding of Medicare regulation changes. Conclusions: Findings have important implications for the occupational therapy field by contributing to better understanding of how current communication and interpretation regarding Medicare regulations occurs with therapists employed in contracted SNFs and conceivable ways for occupational therapists to gain deeper understanding of Medicare regulations impacting practice.

KEYWORDS:

• Medicare
• occupational therapist
• skilled nursing facility (SNF)
• regulation
• contractual companies
• communication
• policy

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.