Reimbursement

SNF Proposed Rule for 2020

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Spring is the time when CMS starts dropping Proposed Rules for various health care provider segments.  This past week or so saw update drops for IRFs, Hospice and SNFs.  Recall, Proposed Rules are administrative law changes that CMS makes to existing provider regulations, typically covering reimbursement and some programmatic policy changes that tie to reimbursement.  … Read more

Home Health Final Rule: Rate Increases plus PDGM

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While I was in Philadelphia speaking at LeadingAge’s annual conference, CMS released its 2019 Home Health Final Rule.  As I wrote in an earlier post regarding the proposed rule, the topic of interest was/is a new payment model – PDGM.  As has been the case across the post-acute industry, CMS is advancing case-mix models crafted around … Read more

Site Neutral Payment Update

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In early October, I wrote an article regarding CMS 2019 OPPS (outpatient PPS) proposed rule, specifically regarding site neutral payments.  The purpose of the article was to address the site neutrality trend that CMS is on, streamlining payments to reduced location of care disparities for the same care services.  Succinctly, if the care provided is … Read more

SNF QRP and What the Data Means

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Yesterday, CMS began posting the first elements from the Quality Reporting Program.  There are five elements that contain data, compared to the national average. Percent of residents developing new or worsening pressure injuries Percent of residents experiencing one or more falls with major injury Percent of residents who had a functional assessment on admission and the … Read more

Post-Acute, Site Neutral Payment Upcoming?

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In the 2019 OPPS (outpatient PPS) proposed rule, CMS included a site neutral payment provision.  With the comment period closed, the lobbying (against) fierce, it will be interesting to see where CMS lands in terms of the final OPPS rule – maintain, change, or abate.  The one thing that is for certain, regardless of the … Read more

CMS Final SNF PPS Rule for 2019: Increases plus PDPM

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Late this afternoon, I caught news that CMS will release a number of Final Rules impacting post-acute providers over the next few days.  Below is a quick summary of what is known for SNFs.  I will update this information as I get access to the Final Rule. PPS rates (manual) to adjust by 2.4% (increase). A … Read more

Stuck in Neutral: Bundled Payments and Post-Acute Providers

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After CMS nixed the mandatory expansion provisions for Bundled Payments and reduced the metro areas participating in CJR (joint replacement), the prospects for post-acute provider involvement in non-fee-for-service initiatives (payments and incentives based on disease states and care episodes) went in to limbo.  With a fair amount of excitement and trepidation building on the part of the … Read more

SNFs and the Medicaid Conundrum

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What do Morningside Ministries in San Antonio, Genesis Healthcare, Signature Healthcare, HCR ManorCare, and Syverson Health and Rehab in Wisconsin have in common?  Answer: A terminal relationship with Medicaid. While Genesis isn’t “dead” yet, it is fundamentally on life support with a stock price of $1.50 per share and a Medicaid payer mix averaging 73%.  HCR ManorCare is … Read more

Health Care Reform Implications: Home Health Care

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I’m a tad behind where I hoped to be in terms of getting these posts out.  Its been a bit  busy over the last ten days or so but headed into the Holiday weekend, a break in the schedule affords me the opportunity to “maybe” get caught up. Of all of the industry sectors touched by … Read more