Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) and IRF-PAI Manual

This page includes the current versions of the IRF-PAI, the IRF-PAI Manual, and associated documents. This page will be updated when:

• An update is made to these resources.
• A newer version becomes available.
• Important information regarding these tools needs to be communicated.

The older versions of these documents will remain available for reference in the IRF Quality Reporting Program Archives.

For additional information related to the IRF Prospective Payment System (PPS) requirements, please refer to the IRF PPS webpage.

IRF-PAI

The Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) is the assessment instrument IRF providers use to collect patient assessment data for quality measure calculation and payment determination in accordance with the IRF Quality Reporting Program (QRP). Completion of the IRF-PAI is required for each Medicare Part A fee-for-service and Medicare Part C patient discharged from an IRF. Beginning October 1, 2024, completion of the IRF-PAI will be required for all patients, regardless of payer. For more information about data collection and submission for the QRP, please refer to the IRF Quality Reporting Data Submission Deadlines webpage.

IRF-PAI Manual

The purpose of the IRF-PAI Manual is to offer continuing guidance to IRFs regarding collection, submission, and reporting of assessment data. The IRF-PAI Manual offers item-by-item coding instructions and coding examples for each item to assist IRF staff to accurately complete the IRF-PAI. The most recent version of the IRF-PAI Manual is available in the Downloads section below.

Updates

October 12, 2023

CMS IRF-PAI Version 4.2

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is publishing the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI), Version 4.2. The IRF-PAI Version 4.2 will be effective October 1, 2024.

The IRF-PAI Version 4.2 item set can be accessed via the Downloads section of this webpage.

September 20, 2023

CMS IRF-PAI Quarterly Q&As, September 2023, Consolidated June 2020 to September 2023

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is publishing the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) Quarterly Q&As, in September of 2023. The document contains the consolidated Q&As from June 2020 to September 2023 so that all IRF providers have the benefit of the clarifications to existing guidance. Through inquiries to the IRF Post-Acute Care (PAC) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Help Desk, CMS identifies the opportunity to clarify or refine guidance.

The Quarterly Q&A document is available in the Downloads section of this webpage.

June 21, 2023

CMS IRF-PAI Quarterly Q&As, June 2023, Consolidated June 2020 to June 2023

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is publishing the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) Quarterly Q&As, in June of 2023. The document contains the consolidated Q&As from June 2020 to June 2023 so that all IRF providers have the benefit of the clarifications to existing guidance. Through inquiries to the IRF Post-Acute Care (PAC) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) Help Desk, CMS identifies the opportunity to clarify or refine guidance.

The Quarterly Q&A document is available in the Downloads section of this webpage.