Decoding OASIS Bathing Items: M1830 vs. GG0130E Explained

by Megan Bernier, MSPT RAC-CT COS-C

Having two sets of functional items in OASIS can be confusing, especially if clinicians are not aware of the differences between these two sets of items. Knowledge gaps in OASIS coding can lead to incomplete assessments and inaccurate coding. However, the INSTANT OASIS Answers Book (a.k.a. “the Little Brown Book”) is the go-to resource for home health clinicians who want their CMS based OASIS guidance organized by the OASIS item for quick and comprehensive access.

With two bathing items in OASIS with similar names, if a clinician does not have knowledge on the differences between these items it would be very easy to code one or both items inaccurately. Additionally, not knowing which CMS resources to use to find all the relevant guidance for each item can increase the time and effort of clinicians (a rare commodity!).

Let’s look at the guidance for these items a little more closely as well as the different CMS resources we would need to look at to determine the inclusions and exclusions of these two bathing items.

Comparing M1830 and GG0130E: What’s the Difference?

First looking at the OASIS instrument:

M1830 – Bathing is the current ability to wash the entire body safely. It excludes grooming (washing the face, washing hands, and shampooing hair.
GG0130E – Shower/bathe self is the ability to bath self, including washing rinsing and drying self (excludes washing of the back and hair). It does not include transferring in/out of tub/shower.

M1830 – Bathing: Key Guidance and CMS Clarifications

As found in the OASIS-E1 Guidance Manual, the intent of M1830 – Bathing is to identify the patient’s ability to bathe their entire body and the assistance that might be required to safely bath, including transferring in/out of the tub/shower. Under the Response-Specific Instructions from the manual we find that M1830 specifically excludes washing the face and hands and shampooing the hair.

To find all the inclusions and exclusions however, one must also look at the CMS OASIS Q&As. We can see in the Q&As that bathing-related tasks such as gathering supplies, preparing the bath water, and drying off after the bath are not included when determining the patient’s ability for M1830.

We also see that an important inclusion, that must be considered as well, is only contained in the Q&As, which is that the assistance the patient requires to get to the location where bathing occurs must be considered.

GG0130E – Shower/Bathe Self: What to Include and Exclude

When looking at the guidance for GG0130E the coding tips in the manual provides additional clarity on what to include and exclude when determining the accurate coding for this item.

GG0130E includes the patient’s ability to wash, rinse and dry their face, upper and lower body, perineal area, and feet, regardless of where the bathing takes place. It does not include washing, rinsing, and drying the patient’s back or hair or transferring in/out of a tub/shower, or onto or off the tub bench. Additionally, the CMS OASIS Q&As there is a Q&A that also indicates that shampooing the hair is also excluded for this activity.

Where to Find Official OASIS Guidance: Manual vs Q&As

Having to sift through multiple CMS resources, such as the guidance manual and the CMS OASIS Q&As can be cumbersome and time consuming, but as we noted earlier, having all this guidance organized by the OASIS item in the OASIS Answers Little Brown Book can help you save time and effort when determining accurate OASIS responses or reviewing OASIS assessments.