The impact of reimbursement issues on rehabilitation nursing practice and patient care

Rehabilitation nursing practice and patient care are affected profoundly by reimbursement trends. This article provides a basic understanding of current and proposed reimbursement issues in Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance--information that should help the rehabilitation nurse make the changes necessary to provide patient care within the constraints of the reimbursement systems. Furthermore, an understanding of these economic issues should assist nurses in working collaboratively and positively with administration while reducing their level of frustration. Nurses can play an important role in managing length of stay, using ancillary services, and moving the patient along the continuum of care, all of which are critical financial factors in a facility's successful management of its payer mix.