Onset Date

LifeCare Supervisors:

Please note the date of onset is a regulatory requirement that is intended to demonstrate a “recent and significant functional decline” to justify the need for skilled therapy intervention.

In cases of gradual decline, it is typically NOT the date of the physician’s referral as this is usually not sufficient time to create the “recent and significant” decline unless there was an acute incident such as a fall or MVA. It also can never be AFTER the date of the physician referral.

Please double check all onset dates before signing off on evaluations. If we have to wait

to get this corrected then it holds up the billing of the evaluations. Thank you for your help with this matter.