Online resource packed with regulatory news and expert guidance, tips & tools pertinent to professionals across the post-acute care continuum.
On July 17 CMS announced a proposed rule that would delay Phase 3 requirements, including QAPI and ethics and compliance standards. These changes, fueled by the Trump administration, will modify previous rules set forth between October 2016 and June 2017. CMS-3347-P The first proposed rule, Medicare & Medicaid Programs; Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities: Regulatory […]
CMS has announced July 17 two new rules that, according to a CMS press release, will place more focus on SNF residents as a priority over paperwork by reducing unnecessary regulations and protecting their legal interests. The proposed rule would delay Phase 3 requirements, including QAPI and ethics and compliance standards. The final rule upends […]
A new MLN Matters Article MM11347 on Medicare Part A Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) Pricer Update FY 2020 is available. Learn updates to payment rates beginning October 1.
A new study published July 1 in the journal Health Affairs found that seniors with dementia who use home care have suffered more severe outcomes stemming from medical emergencies than those in skilled nursing facilities. According to study author Rebecca Gorges, “While Medicaid’s trend to shift long-term care from institutions to the community is intuitively […]
Registration is open for CMS’ SNF QRP Provider In-Person Training Event, August 13 and 14, 2019. The training is a two-day in-person ‘Train the Trainer’ event for providers at the Four Seasons Hotel, 200 International Drive, Baltimore, MD 21202. This event will be open to all SNF providers, associations, and organizations. Like the May 2019 […]
A new study published by yesterday afternoon shows that about 75% of nursing homes in this country are understaffed, and that levels self-reported by nursing home administrators used in the CASPER system were higher than payroll data. Researchers examined 15,399 nursing homes from April 2017 through March 2018. They found that RNs are often missing […]
In an effort to reduce burden, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CMS are seeking to update regulations around nondiscrimination outlined in the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register June 14. It would make “substantial revisions” to Section 1557 of the ACA by eliminating “provisions […]
There is only one day left to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply (NOIA) via the Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Management System (ACO-MS) for a January 1, 2020, start date. You must submit a NOIA if you intend to apply to the BASIC track or ENHANCED track of the Medicare Shared Savings Program, for […]
The state of New York is proposing a change in the way it calculates the case mix that sets Medicaid reimbursements for skilled nursing facilities — with the goal of realizing $246 million in net savings. If it is finalized, that could mean a significant cut in Medicaid reimbursements for nursing home providers, according to […]
The comment period for the Medicare proposed rule for SNFs just ended. Here’s what LeadingAge had to say in comments submitted: Wage Index Adjustment As CMS continues to utilize the hospital wage index in developing the SNF wage index, and changes have been proposed in the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) proposed rule to […]