medicare SNF annual assessment 99318

I needsome clarrification about the SNF code 99318
a) does medicare require this to be done for a resident
-if not, why bother since it pays less than a 99309 visit
b) if it does, can I do a 99318 in additional to seeing a medicare patient every 2 months as mandated by medicare. I do not mean perform annual at the same time as a routine fu. Instead, stagger the visit so every J-M-A-J-A-O I the the patient for the 60 fu and in between visits, I see them 1 time that year for their annual assessment. - hence 6 routine and 1 annual = 7 total visit
c) or do I have to bite the bullet and perform 5 routine visits and 1 annual - 6 total visits

re: medicare SNF annual assessment 99318

You can do that- Every visit should not be a 99309- that is the highest level subsequent visit and wold be like coding every office visit an 99215. If you are doing that you better watch for an auditor to come knocking at your door.

Medicare does require an annual assessment and the facility should be tracking that so they can tell you when it is time to do the "annual"