Rehab Select Blog

The bundled payment model has emerged as the favored alternative to the traditional fee-for-service model in the ongoing shift towards value-based healthcare reimbursement. That status, already made plain by the rapid growth of bundled payment programs offered by private payers, including healthcare systems, insurance companies and large employers, has been cemented by the growing number of bundled payment initiatives rolled out by government payers. Perhaps the most notable of these are several bundled payment initiatives undertaken by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) that bundle payments for care provided to fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries.

Workplace injuries are a concern for every company today, given the ever-rising costs of such incidents.

These include the human costs of on-the-job injuries—pain, suffering, disability and lost income, for instance—and the financial costs employers face, including workers' comp costs, reduced workforce productivity, and the expenses associated with replacing injured workers.

Physical therapy and occupational therapy are two rather closely related fields—so closely that many people are under the impression that the terms are interchangeable. While both types of therapists may work with similar patients, injuries and conditions, there are distinct differences between the two. Here we'll go over those differences to help potential patients clear the air about these therapies, making it easier for them to pursue the most suitable treatment for their specific needs.

Much of the buzz around bundled payments has been focused on their potential for containing or reducing the overall costs of healthcare. However, as important as cost-cutting is, it is certainly not the whole story when it comes to the goals of the bundled care model. Improving the quality and efficiency of care is also a primary goal of this value-based payment model.

Occupational therapy is a rehabilitative specialty that provides therapeutic interventions that work to enhance patients' ability to participate in the meaningful activities of daily life, despite the presence of impairments in physical, mental or cognitive functioning. So who can benefit from occupational therapy? What can patients who undergo this type of therapy expect? To answer these questions and others for patients considering therapy, here is a brief guide to occupational therapy and how it works.

If you are rehabilitating from physical impairments resulting from illness or injury, physical and/or occupational therapy are likely to be recommended as part of that process. Often, patients who have been referred to these services are confused about the differences between these two similar forms of therapy. To help ease your way through your care planning efforts, here are 2 important differences between physical therapy and occupational therapy.

If you're an arthritis sufferer, occupational therapy is an important part of managing your symptoms. This is as true for the person newly diagnosed with arthritis as it is for those in its more advanced stages. That's because occupational therapy can help you learn how to minimize the impact of arthritis symptoms on your quality of life, giving you the tools you need to stay healthy and active and live life to the fullest. If you will be seeing an occupational therapist, here are 3 tips that can help you make the most of the experience.

The bundled payment model is a relatively recent development in the healthcare industry and one that is gaining ground against the traditional fee-for-service healthcare payment model. It is designed to add value to the care process, working to contain or lower costs while maintaining or improving quality. When it comes to recognizing the beneficiaries of this payment model, payers—be they government or private ones—are the most obvious. However, bundled payment plans can also convey benefits to other parties involved in the care process, including healthcare providers and their patients.

If you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), you certainly don't need to be told that this disease can make daily life difficult. During a flare, when joints are swollen, stiff, and painful, or in the advanced stages of the disease, when gradual damage to joints impairs their function, even simple, everyday chores, tasks, and activities can become challenging ordeals. Occupational therapy for RA can make living with RA a bit easier, helping you maintain your independence and improve your quality of life.

Today's healthcare market is a swiftly changing landscape, and much of that change is related to alternative healthcare payment models. The goal of those models is to stem the tide of rising healthcare costs while continuing to provide an excellent standard of care to patients—a concept that has become widely known as "value-based healthcare." So how is this move towards value-based healthcare models panning out? Here is what you need to know about 2016 trends in healthcare payment models.