Medicaid Case-Mix States: A Reader Question

Recently, a reader asked me a question regarding which states still use RUGs III for their Medicaid case-mix payments. At the time, I honestly didn’t know the answer completely. Based on a little research, I’ve outlined the RUGs status as I currently know it, across the states that utilize Medicaid case-mix. Note: Not all states use … Read more

CMS Announces Medicare SNF Cuts: The Implication

On Friday, CMS released its Final Rule regarding FY 2012 SNF PPS reimbursement.  The Final Rule implements a reduction or “cut” in SNF PPS payments equal to 11.1% or $3.87 billion.  The 11.1% reduction is based on 2011 rates and spending/outlays.  In their proposed final rule published in May, CMS alluded to the real possibility that … Read more

RUGs IV Here to Stay!

The news we all hoped for came forth this afternoon, wrapped with a big bow just in time for the Holiday season – RUGs IV is here to stay.  The House this afternoon passed a companion version of the bill passed in the Senate yesterday.  President Obama is expected to sign the bill into law … Read more

MDS 3.0, RUGs IV, RUGs III, Hybrid: A 45 Day Review

Forty- five days past the October 1 conversion to MDS 3.0 and the interim RUGS IV payment groups and I still am getting a great deal of requests for analysis tools, questions on payments, liabilities, dates and rates for the Hybrid (RUGs III) groups, maps between RUGs III and RUGs IV, etc.  While I lost … Read more

RUGs III to RUGs IV: The Core of “Need to Know”

In the past month with October 1 looming closer, I’ve been fielding lots of questions regarding the transition from RUGs III to RUGs IV.  Instead of listing the questions and trying to recap my answers (my memory is good but not that good), I’ve settled on an overview or “summary”; the core of what SNFs … Read more