IRF-PAI Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- What are the IRF-PAI data?
- Who is IRF-PAI data collected on?
- How often is the IRF-PAI data collected?
- What types of data are collected as part of the IRF-PAI?
- What years of IRF-PAI data are available from CMS?
The Medicare Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) contains data items that were developed primarily for IRF PPS. The admission patient assessment will be used to classify each Medicare Part A fee-for-service patient into a Case-Mix Group (CMG), and the CMG will be used to determine the IRF payment. While the admission assessment is used to place a patient in a CMG, the discharge assessment is used to determine the relevant weighting factors, if applicable, associated with comorbidities. The data collected will also be used for quality of care purposes.
The IRF-PAI will be collected on all Medicare Part A fee-for-service patients who receive services under Part A from an IRF. The IRF-PAI may be completed on Medicare+Choice enrollees, but it is not a requirement.
Two IRF-PAI assessments are collected for each inpatient rehab facility stay. An assessment is collected at admission and another at discharge. However, both assessments are submitted at the same time, after discharge.
IRF-PAI data items address the physical, cognitive, functional, and psychosocial status of patients. IRF-PAI information includes the following clinical items and case mix adjusters: Patient History, Social Cognition, Functional Status, Bowel/Bladder Management, Diagnoses, Medical Complexities, Pain Status, Oral/Nutrition Status, Functional Prognosis, Safety, and Resources for Discharge.
IRF-PAI data from CMS is available starting on January 1, 2002. Data collection applied to Medicare beneficiaries who were already inpatients as of January 1, 2002 as well as beneficiaries admitted as inpatients on or after January 1, 2002, regardless of the IRF cost reporting beginning dates.
Last Modified August 5, 2008