C0500. Summary Score will equal 99 if which of the following occurs?

• A. Patient chooses not to participate at all.
• B. Patient participates but chooses not to respond to any items in C0200 or C0300.
• C. 4 or more items coded 0 because the patient chose not to answer.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: (D)

The Summary Score will equal 99 for cases where there is a significant lack of participation or response from the patient regarding the assessment items.

When a patient chooses not to participate at all, there will be no data collected, which directly results in a Summary Score of 99. Similarly, if the patient participates but does not respond to any of the items in C0200 or C0300, this incomplete data also leads to a Summary Score of 99.

Furthermore, if four or more items are coded as 0 because the patient chose not to answer, this indicates considerable non-response and will also contribute to the Summary Score reflecting as 99.

Therefore, whenever any of these conditions are met—whether complete non-participation or significant non-response—the end result is a Summary Score of 99. This understanding is critical for those assessing based on the OASIS-E guidelines, as it highlights the importance of patient engagement in providing valid data for care assessment.