ASAM documentation, checked level by level.
What the record should show to support placement, continued stay, and transition at each level of care, written as checks a reviewer can run against a chart.
Payers deny level of care on the record, not on the clinician's judgment. When the assessment rates the dimensions but never says why a lower level would not be enough, or a continued stay review repeats the admission note, the reviewer has nothing to approve.
This checklist sets out the documentation that applies at every level, then what each level additionally needs, from outpatient through medically monitored intensive inpatient. It is written in plain language as checks, so a utilization reviewer or compliance lead can run it against a chart in a few minutes.
What is inside
- Seven checks that apply to every chart at every level
- Level-specific checks for 1, 2.1, 2.5, 3.1, 3.3, 3.5, and 3.7
- A note on the third and fourth editions and why it matters for payers
Every level, on one checklist.
Outpatient levels
- Level 1Outpatient
- Level 2.1Intensive outpatient
- Level 2.5Partial hospitalization
Residential levels
- Level 3.1Clinically managed low-intensity residential
- Level 3.3Clinically managed population-specific high-intensity residential
- Level 3.5Clinically managed high-intensity residential
- Level 3.7Medically monitored intensive inpatient
At every level
- AssessmentSix dimensions rated, each with a justification
- PlacementWhy a lower level would not be enough
- NotesEvery billed service tied to a plan goal
- ReviewsContinued stay restates current ratings
Built for the people who work the denials.
- Utilization review and clinical documentation staff in SUD programs
- Clinical directors and supervisors reviewing charts
- Compliance teams preparing for payer or state reviews
Related on this site: Documentation Compliance, Documentation co-pilot, Solutions 2 Recovery case study.
Download the PDFCatch these before the claim goes out.
Adentris reviews charts and claims against payer rules before submission, so missing documentation, modifiers, and authorizations surface while they can still be fixed.