CMS Releases SNF PPS Proposed Rule

In mid-April the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). The FY 2016 NPRM release is significantly earlier than its usual practice. While the projected market basket growth rate of 1.4 percent is less than the profession had hoped, the reimbursement provisions of the rule contain no unexpected proposals. Of note, however, the FY 2016 NPRM marks the first year in which the profession will begin to see value-based purchasing provisions, quality reporting requirements, and health information technology sections in its annual NPRM.

Specifically, the FY 2016 NPRM discusses CMS' proposed plans to implement:
•  Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 (PAMA) SNF Rehospitalization Value-Based Purchasing Program;
•  Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act) Quality Reporting Measures;
•  Preliminary IMPACT Act health information technology data interoperability proposals;  and
•  Finally, the NPRM discusses proposed new staff reporting requirements. 

AHCA has prepared a summary of the 150-plus page rule. To view the summary, which includes staff contacts by section, click here. Additionally, AHCA/NCAL has updated its SNF PPS Medicare rate calculator based on the FY 2016 NPRM. To view and utilize the calculator, please click here. 

We hope you find this information helpful and look forward to your comments and feedback as we begin developing our response to CMS.