--- title: Proper Home Health Coding for Medicare OASIS description: Home health coding - The process of selecting correct diagnosis codes for an OASIS Start of Care, Re-Certification or Resumption of Care is very straightforward and uncomplicated. image: https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/hs-fs/hub/375308/file-645632055.jpg --- [![PowerPath.ai](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263.png?width=2000&height=256&name=Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263.png "PowerPath.ai")](https://powerpath.ai/) - [How It Works](https://powerpath.ai/how-it-works/) - [Tools for Growth](https://powerpath.ai/tools-for-growth/) - [Meet Pattii](https://powerpath.ai/meet-pattii/) - [Resources](https://powerpath.ai/resources/) - [Blog](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog) - [About](https://powerpath.ai/about/) - [Contact](https://powerpath.ai/contact/) [My Account](https://secure.myhomecarebiz.com/) [Get Demo](https://melissa-myhomecarebiz.youcanbook.me/) ![BlogHeaderImg](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BlogHeaderImg.png?width=2000&height=666&name=BlogHeaderImg.png "BlogHeaderImg") # Home Health Insights Stay informed with the latest news in home health. ## Browse by Topic - [Regulatory News for Home Health & Hospice (173)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/regulatory-news-for-home-health-hospice) - [Clinical Best Practices for Home Health & Hospice (22)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/clinical-best-practices-for-home-health-hospice) - [Home Health Billing & Coding (21)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/home-health-billing-coding) - [Home Health Marketing (18)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/home-health-marketing) ## Proper Home Health Coding for Medicare OASIS Proper Home Health Coding for Medicare OASIS Posted by Peggy Mathews on Feb 15, 2017 # Proper Home Health Coding for Medicare OASIS Posted by [Peggy Mathews](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/author/peggy-mathews) on Feb 15, 2017 ## Proper home health coding for Medicare OASIS The process of selecting correct diagnosis codes for a OASIS Start of Care, Re-Certification or Resumption of Care is very straightforward and uncomplicated. ## Include only problems (diagnoses) for which there is a change in medications or skilled treatments.![iStock_000001638728XSmall](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/hs-fs/hub/375308/file-645632055.jpg?width=176&height=124&name=file-645632055.jpg) If a patient is to receive home health services paid for by Medicare, - the services must be ordered by a licensed physician - the patient must have an unstable condition - there are new or changed treatments/medications for the unstable condition - the patient must be homebound.   The diagnosis codes to be documented in the OASIS assessment under M1021/3 are reflective of the unstable condition(s) ONLY. If a condition has no medical or skilled treatment changes prdered by the physician the diagnosis should NOT be included in the list. A condition requiring a new or changed medication, therapy and/or a new/changed skilled nursing treatment is appropriate for inclusion on M1021/3.   ## It can be tempting… It can be tempting to include diagnoses that are stable, especially stable casemix diagnoses that because they yield the HHA potentially more reimbursement. This practice of using stable casemix diagnoses is called **up-coding** and is an unacceptable method of coding. ## For example… For example, a patient is admitted to an HHA with a history of CHF, hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus, chronic pain, exacerbation in psoriasis. The only change to the medical careplan is a new medication for psoriasis. Although the patient has multiple health problems they are all stable except for psoriasis. Since that is the case, only psoriasis should be listed on the diagnosis list. Conditions requiring no change to the careplan are considered “stable’ and should not be on the diagnosis list. For supporting documentation please refer to CMS’s guide to home health diagnosis coding go [https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/HomeHealthQualityInits/downloads/HHQIAttachmentD.pdf](https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/HomeHealthQualityInits/downloads/HHQIAttachmentD.pdf) **[For more information on Medicare's Home Health Care Quality Indicators click here.](https://www.medicare.gov/homehealthcompare/search.html)** ### **[Download the Home Health Careplan for Congestive Heart Failure](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/home-health-teaching-plan-for-chf)**      Tags: [Home Health Billing & Coding](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/home-health-billing-coding) [![you will make Medicare happy](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/375308/98f7e1e7-1e9a-44ed-994f-96665cf71930.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/375308/98f7e1e7-1e9a-44ed-994f-96665cf71930) ### Topics - [Clinical Best Practices for Home Health & Hospice (22)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/clinical-best-practices-for-home-health-hospice) - [CMS News for Billing (6)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/cms-news-for-billing) - [Conditions of Participation (16)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/conditions-of-participation) - [COVID-19 (11)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/covid-19) - [DX Alzheimers/Dementia (3)](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog/topic/dx-alzheimers-dementia) ### Recent Posts [![Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263.png?width=2000&height=256&name=Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263.png "Power-Path-copy.ai_-2048x263")](https://powerpath.ai/) ## AI-powered EMR and outcomes-based marketing tools that help home health agencies operate smarter, improve patient results, and grow referrals—all in one HIPAA-compliant platform. - [How It Works](https://powerpath.ai/how-it-works/) - [Tools for Growth](https://powerpath.ai/tools-for-growth/) - [Meet Pattii](https://powerpath.ai/meet-pattii/) - [Resources](https://powerpath.ai/resources/) - [Blog](https://go.myhomecarebiz.com/blog) - [About](https://powerpath.ai/about/) - [Contact](https://powerpath.ai/contact/) [Get Demo](https://melissa-myhomecarebiz.youcanbook.me/) ## © 2026 PowerPath.ai. 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