CMS Releases FY 2019 SNF Proposed Rule

On April 27, 2018, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the fiscal year (FY) 2019 proposed rule for Part A skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. This proposed rule would update the payment rates used under the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for FY 2019. This proposed rule also proposes to replace the existing case-mix classification methodology, the Resource Utilization Groups, Version IV (RUG-IV) model, with a revised case-mix methodology called the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) effective October 1, 2019. It also proposes revisions to the regulation text that describes a beneficiary’s SNF “resident” status under the consolidated billing provision and the required content of the SNF level of care certification. The proposed rule also includes proposals for the SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP) and the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (VBP) Program that will affect Medicare payment to SNFs.

CMS is accepting comments on the proposed rule until June 26, 2018. To access the proposed rule, click HERE. To access the SNF Fact Sheet, click HERE.