SOC date and Recertification

S.N. Visit, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2013

If the client has been discharged due to being in the hospital or away on vacation and we pick them back up to readmit during a cert period, then we use the new SOC date because it's a completely new episode, but we don't change our SOC for routine recert's. Instead we use a "Follow Up/ Resumption of Care date" as the date we actually assess our patient for recertification (within 48hrs of order)then our SOC remains unchanged. I imagine you are now using the SOC date as day order is received, so tracking those pesky important dates are easier to be within compliance for CMS but it confuses me to why you'd use a new SOC date if you are doing that on all recerts. Hope that made sense and answered your question.

Isabelle49 · Dec 5, 2013

If the client has been discharged due to being in the hospital or away on vacation and we pick them back up to readmit during a cert period, then we use the new SOC date because it's a completely new episode, but we don't change our SOC for routine recert's. Instead we use a "Follow Up/ Resumption of Care date" as the date we actually assess our patient for recertification (within 48hrs of order)then our SOC remains unchanged. I imagine you are now using the SOC date as day order is received, so tracking those pesky important dates are easier to be within compliance for CMS but it confuses me to why you'd use a new SOC date if you are doing that on all recerts. Hope that made sense and answered your question.

Confuses me too and I have been in home health for 11 years. i am wondering if the person in our office doesn't know that the SOC date remains fixed unless the patient returns after discharge or end of episode during hospitalization. I think she is confusing the SOC date with the beginning of the new cert. In reality, I'm not sure what she is thinking.

jmn126 · Dec 5, 2013

SOC date can not change unless the pt has been discharged. The date u get orders for your recert is the verbal order date, not a new SOC date,

If this is new, which i doubt, we have not been doing it

I have been in HH FOR 28 yrs and soc date is soc date period.

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Dec 5, 2013

Confuses me too and I have been in home health for 11 years. i am wondering if the person in our office doesn't know that the SOC date remains fixed unless the patient returns after discharge or end of episode during hospitalization. I think she is confusing the SOC date with the beginning of the new cert. In reality, I'm not sure what she is thinking.

It sounds like she is confused. SOC is the date you started care. I have patients whose SOC date was 4 years ago. It doesn't change with every recert, we're not starting over, we're continuing. On the flip side, I also have patients who have had several different admissions and therefore, their current SOC date might be 11/23/13 even though they originally came on service a few years ago because they were discharged for a period of time.

Isabelle49 · Dec 6, 2013

I think our office has had a complete turnover in staff in a very short period of time (like maybe 1 week). I don't recognize any of the names in the office and not sure what experience they have. Since I'm 98% retired, I kind of keep to myself and make the few visits I am assigned. The office can do what they want as long as it doesn't affect my work, but it makes me crazy when someone insists that something is correct, when it is obviously absurd. My guess is the person had no home health experience prior to obtaining this job.

SOC per CMS is clearly explained (I did a look up today cause I thought I might be off my rocker).

Thanks all for the feedback. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't going off the deep end.

BabaLouRN · Jan 31, 2014

"5 day window" days 55,56,57,58,or 59 of a 60 day episode.