Purpose of the OCCB Program
The OASIS Certificate and Competency Board, Inc. (OCCB) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting greater reliability in OASIS data, through consistent application of guidelines provided by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The OCCB facilitates this goal by offering a voluntary certificate examination available to home care providers interested in demonstrating and establishing their expertise and commitment to OASIS data accuracy.

The Outcome Assessment Information Set (OASIS) is a group of data items designed for the purpose of enabling the rigorous and systematic measurement of patient home health care outcomes, with appropriate adjustment for patient risk factors affecting those outcomes. Outcomes have been defined in many ways, but those derived from OASIS items have a very specific definition: they measure changes in a patient’s health status between two or more time points. The OASIS data submitted by Home Health Agencies (HHA) affects reimbursement rates based upon completion. OASIS scoring also impacts publicly reported outcome indicators used to determine the future of Medicare home health. OASIS items even have utility for care planning, and other internal agency-level applications. (CMS OASIS Home)

In an era of heightened scrutiny and reimbursement challenges, it is critical that all OASIS users KNOW that that they understand CMS' rules. KNOWing the rules helps Home Health Agencies minimize the risk of inappropriate reimbursement and inaccurate reporting of a provider's outcomes. Competent OASIS data collection provides CMS with more accurate empirical data illustrating how well HHAs assist their patients in regaining or maintaining their ability to function, progress in clinical status, and how services impact outcomes. These publicly reported process and outcome measures are used as benchmarks to assist HHAs provide the best possible care. Thus, the patient, home health agency, and home care industry all benefit when OASIS data is collected as accurately as possible.

KNOW that you are doing it the right way by sitting for the COS-C Exam, the best instrument available to test your CMS compliance. Everyone Benefits.....when you KNOW.

*Candidates who successfully complete the examination will be awarded the Certificate for OASIS Specialist-Clinical (COS-C) designation. The resulting COS-C designation is valid for three years.
**The COS-C exam is designed for any individual interested in demonstrating their expertise and commitment to OASIS accuracy. There are no requirements to sit for the exam. If you are interested in taking the COS-C exam or learning more about the exam itself, visit our Exam Overview page.