Salary and responsibility of MDS coordinator/ Medicare case manager

poohmdsnurse · Apr 25, 2008

Well I can relate to your job... I too am a LPN/nurse manager/MDS coordinator/Medicare billing nurse. My job responsibilities are endless- I do a schedule for 3-11 nurse aides, I evaluate them (probationary periods and yearly, and the wonderful job of firing them. I also do one wing of MDS- 34 residents, I try and keep up with careplans- which is never ending in itself. I do monthly medications reviews on each one of them, schedule routine labs on the calendar to be drawn, pass out nursing supplies to my wing on a weekly basis PLUS I am the one who purchases all the medical supplies for the whole building which is a job !! You know you have to be a mind reader especially for the one who takes the last box and doesn't tell you.

I also head the UR meeting on a weekly basis- trying to keep track of who they are going to cut and when and of course why. I also complete the monthly medicare billing and submitt it to our off site billing company and in addition to that I keep an eye on our RUG rate and where we are at and tell the other MDS nurses when to pick up a extra resident MDS so we can increase our RUG rate in a quarter. I also do the MDS schedule for the two wings of the building-68 residents- just the quarterly and annuals - I have her keep control of her skilled ones. I also am the one who calls the insurance companies for these wonderful managed care cases and try and set rates and get prior authorizations.... I could go on and on .. I seem to have sucker written on my forehead :bugeyes: . And I have been in this position for 10 years and make $2.00 a hour more than you!!! And of course I am not allowed to have any overtime at all!!

limarie · Apr 25, 2008

I also do alot of the things you mention. Is it really possible to keep up? I feel so discouraged every day when I leave. On top of that, I at times have been questioned stupid things like why a UTI that was noted two days prior hasnt been careplanned.

I am very organized and usually have great time management but Im beginning to think that time management is next to impossible in my position. If 8 hours a day could be spent on careplanning, MDS and cse management it woud be a wonderful job.

nratchet · May 5, 2008

I also do alot of the things you mention. Is it really possible to keep up? I feel so discouraged every day when I leave. On top of that, I at times have been questioned stupid things like why a UTI that was noted two days prior hasnt been careplanned.
I am very organized and usually have great time management but Im beginning to think that time management is next to impossible in my position. If 8 hours a day could be spent on careplanning, MDS and cse management it woud be a wonderful job.

WOW....I thought I had a hard job. I do the MDS, RAPs and Care plans for 153 residents...long term and managed care...I run the care plan meetings twice weekly, take call one week out of five, work the floor when needed, keep track of the call list, check MARs and TARs at the end of the month on one 60 bed wing and what ever other projects my administrator or DON think up that they need me to do. I am an RN but I don't make much more than you and I've been doing this for 8 years.:bowingpur:bow:

UdonNomi · May 6, 2008

Well, guess I should shut up and count my blessings.. I'm a LVN RAC-C, I do all MDS's, RAPS and CPs for 78 bed facility, also pitch hit as a ADON (though not awhole lot of duties there), I have 20 yrs experience and 8 of those in MDS. I make 22.50/hr and took a $3.00/hr paycut to take this position (it's what I wanted). It makes a big difference what state your in, and also how the facilities in your area are paying their MDS nurses, still ya'll need a raise!!!

noc4senuf · May 11, 2008

This is the average time it takes to complete the following:

Initial Comprehensive 2.6 Hrs

Full Medicare 2.0 Hrs

Sig Change 2.2 Hrs

Qtrly .9 Hrs

RAPS 1.2 Hrs

My medicare coordinator is an LPN and handles a 26 bed Rehab unit, which includes managed care, medicare and private pay. She is responsible for the MDS and RAPS, calling for coverage verification, working with managed care companies, giving denials and speaking to residents and families regarding the benefits. She makes about $22/hr, and averages about 64 hours per week. All of the assessments for her residents are completed by the Nurse manager of that unit.

My MDS coordinator is an RN and handles the other 84 LTC beds in the facility. She is responsible for the MDS and RAPS and assessments of those residents. She also signs off on the medicare coordinator's work. She makes about $26/hr, and averages about 64 hours per week.

The care plans for the entire building are completed by the nurse managers on their respective floors.

disney158 · May 12, 2008

I am very lucky, MDS Coordintaor, RN in a 82 bed SNF in a acute care hospita, I handle all Medicare assesments, all MDS functions, function as the Medicare Nurse, coordinate and chair all care plan meetings, and Medicare meeting, also involved in CQI process, no weekends, no on call, thank god ! Have been here and can no longer do that:no: , this is very do-able and I am blessed, I have been here for 5 years in the middle of NY state and salary is about $28.50, the patinets here can be very clinically fragile, but the work load is tolerable, as I said, I am blessed.

OHIOGIRL08 · May 22, 2008

As a MDS coordinator/ Medicare care manager, what all are you responsible for at your facility? How much do you make? How big is your facility?
I have been in my position two years and it seems the longer I am there, the more the DON piles on me
We have a 80 bed facility w/ an average 10-15 SNF
I do all assessments, careplans and case management
I am responsible for the restorative nursing program and the infection control program. I do all assessments of the patients in the hospital before admit (sometimes traveling up to 40 miles)
There are many more to say the least
I am a LPN and make only 18.00 an hour. I have been in this position 2 years.

I WORK IN A 160 BED FACILITY, I AM A LPN WITH 19 YEARS EXP. WITH 2 YEARS IN MDS, I ENJOY MY JOB VERY MUCH EXCEPT LIKE OTHERS WE HAVE TOO MANY JOBS. I DO CARE PLANS, MDS, CARE CONFERENCES FOR SKILLED AND ICF, PLUS DO MARS ET PO SHEETS EACH MONTH FOR CHANGE OVER AND I WORK THE FLOOR TO COVER CALL OFFS WHICH HAPPEN A LOT. AND I DO UPDATES ON THE CARE PLANS WHICH IS A NEVER ENDING BATTLE :heartbeat:heartbeat NOT TO MENTION ALL THE TIME I SPEND RESERCHING INFO FROM TECHS AND TEACHING THEM OVER AND OVER AGAIN ABOUT ADL'S AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE TO THE MDS. I TOO ONLY MAKE 18.00 AND HAVE NOT HAD A RAISE IN WHAT SEEMS LIKE FOREVER, AND LIKE OTHERS THE DON AND OTHER DISIPLINES ALWAYS FIND MORE FOR ME TO DO.....SO WHY DO WE STAY AND PUT OURSELVES THRU THIS PUNISHMENT? I GUESS I STAY BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN THERE SO LONG IT'S LIKE HOME TO ME, AND I CARE ABOUT THE RESIDENTS THERE. AND MY CO-WORKER, SHE'S GREAT, SHE'S THE NICEST PERSON YOU EVER MET. I JUST TAKE IT ONE DAY AT A TIME, EVEN THOUGH SOME DAYS ARE LONGER THAN OTHERS, SOME DAYS WE WORK 8 HRS BUT SOME DAYS ARE 10 - 12 HOURS..:heartbeat

Perfectms10 · Jul 25, 2008

I'm not sure what state you are from but here in Mass; I'm an LPN and I handle a medicare population of no more than 24; and I'm happy to say I'm making 78 grand a year.

mdsmadness · Jul 25, 2008

As a MDS coordinator/ Medicare care manager, what all are you responsible for at your facility? How much do you make? How big is your facility?
I have been in my position two years and it seems the longer I am there, the more the DON piles on me
We have a 80 bed facility w/ an average 10-15 SNF
I do all assessments, careplans and case management
I am responsible for the restorative nursing program and the infection control program. I do all assessments of the patients in the hospital before admit (sometimes traveling up to 40 miles)
There are many more to say the least
I am a LPN and make only 18.00 an hour. I have been in this position 2 years.

I am kind of late to reply but I just saw your post tonight and feel compelled to reply!! Way to much work! Our facility is about the same size, the admission director or someone from the IDT does the evaluations at the hospital. I put in the DX but, she does the face sheet info, I do not do anything with insurance, the BOM and Medical Director take care of the certs. The ADON (at this time) does the intitial care plans(that is probably going to change because she does not even look at my raps to do them) The care plan, IDT rounds involve myself, , the DON, the SSD, Activites, Dietary, Restorative and Therapy..would be nice to have the floor nurse and the CNA involved too, but rarely happens. I make up the MDS schedule, Care Plan schedule, IDT rounds schedule and track all assessments...and I feel overwhelmed at times so I cannot even imagine what you are feeling. I know others at the same corp, in different facilities do the certs.....and they are overwhelmed. The DON where I work tries to put more on me, but I pretty much have set my limits as to what I can do and do it effectively. And not to brag at all, because I am so not. I make more than you per hour, what sucks is that I am salary, so all those extra hours I put in, well they are gone by the wayside. But I am left alone because I am the only one in the facilty that knows my job...........no 3 deep here , that would be a joke!

CapeCodMermaid, RN · Jul 25, 2008

I'm not sure what state you are from but here in Mass; I'm an LPN and I handle a medicare population of no more than 24; and I'm happy to say I'm making 78 grand a year.

You are not the norm....LPN's where I work in Massachusetts wouldn't make that much...especially since you can't even sign the R2b.

mdsmadness · Jul 26, 2008

And so I cannot sign the R2b??? And that means what? I should not get paid as much even though I raised the CMI? And getting my facility $50 more a day per MCR resident this quarter. :typing Maybe I am out of the norm but...........maybe my facility understands the importance of the whole process? As all facilities should appreciate their MDS nurses, whether LPN or RN..........we all work just as hard.