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CMS Issues FY 2024 SNF Final Payment Rule
Monday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued the final rule for the skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective payment system (PPS) fiscal year (FY) 2024 update.
Highlights include:
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The final rule provides for a net market basket increase for SNFs of 4.0 percent (approximately $1.4 billion) beginning October 1, 2023. This is 0.3 percent more than was originally proposed in April. This positive outcome is a result of the hard work of AHCA members and staff who worked on this issue year-round.
- This 4.0 percent market basket update, after rounding, reflects:
- A $2.2 billion increase resulting from the 6.4% net market basket update to the payment rates, which is based on a 3.0% SNF market basket increase plus a 3.6% market basket forecast error adjustment and less a 0.2% productivity adjustment; and
- A negative 2.3%, or approximately $789 million, decrease in the FY 2024 SNF PPS rates as a result of the second phase of the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) parity adjustment recalibration.
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Consolidated Billing: CMS finalized, as proposed, the addition of marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to the list of practitioners whose services are excluded from the consolidated billing provision, effective January 1, 2024.
- SNF Quality Reporting Program (QRP):
- CMS is adopting two measures, removing three measures, and modifying one measure.
- This rule makes policy changes to the SNF QRP and begins public reporting of four measures.
- CMS is not adopting the CoreQ short-stay discharge measure that was proposed in April 2023.
- SNF Value-Based Purchasing (VBP):
- CMS is adopting four new quality measures, replacing one quality measure, and finalizing several policy changes in the SNF VBP Program.
- CMS is increasing the payback percentage policy under the SNF VBP program from the current 60% to 66% to increase bonuses provided to the high-performing, high duals SNFs beginning in the FY 2027 program year.
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Civil Monetary Penalties: The final rule eliminated the requirements for facilities to actively waive their right to a hearing in writing in order to receive the 35% penalty reduction and created in its place a constructive waiver process that would operate automatically when CMS has not received a timely request for a hearing.
AHCA is currently reviewing the final rule in greater detail and will share a more in-depth summary in the coming days, including final changes to the SNF Quality Reporting Program and Value-Based Purchasing program.
Thank you for your continued support. Please contact Martin Allen with any questions.
Report by:
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The Sunflower (RE)-Connection - A Publication from KDADS
Inside This Edition:
- HCBS Setting Final Rule
- Ombudsman Message
- PDPM Training
- Contact List
- Top Cites for Q2 & Q3
- House Bill 2125
- MDS Information
- Regulation Spotlight
- Complaint Reporting
- PBJ
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Attention Assisted Living Providers!
A Message from KCAL Consultant Joan Hudson
We are seeing an increasing trend in citations related to bed assistive devices in Assisted Living and Home Plus settings. I want to take a moment to share some resources and ensure all our providers are aware of the requirements around bed assistive devices of any kind. READ MORE
Don’t miss the KCAL webinar on August 24th specifically on this topic. Click here for more information and to register.
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OSHA Releases Final Rule on Improving Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration published a final rule on Improving Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses. This rule, effective January 1, 2024, modifies existing requirements for reporting workplace injuries and illnesses. READ MORE
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CMS unveils program to improve dementia care, ease unpaid caregiver strain
The federal government is hoping to do more for people with dementia on Medicare — and their unpaid caregivers. READ MORE
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Clinical Update from KHCA Consultant Linda Farrar
AHCA is encouraging all facilities to prepare for the fall vaccination campaigns. It will be more extensive this year. Facilities have likely already put in their orders for the annual flu vaccine. Per CDC guidance on June 29, 2023, “There were small changes to the annual recommendations around flu vaccination, including an acknowledgement of the updated flu vaccine composition for the 2023-2024 flu season and a change in the recommendations for vaccination of people with egg allergies. Dr. Walensky’s adoption of the ACIP recommendations makes them official CDC policy, which will be published in an upcoming Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Recommendation Report later this summer. Providers should begin vaccinating patients according to CDC’s recommended timing, which remains the same as last season.” READ MORE
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KDHE/DHCF August through December 2023 Medicaid Training Opportunity
Kansas Department of Health and Environment-The Division of Health Care Finance (KDHE-DHCF) has scheduled eight sessions for Understanding Medicaid Annual Reviews virtual training opportunities August 2023 through December 2023. This course includes additional information and from our previous Unwinding training. This is not a series, same course for each date listed.
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iQIES Idea Portal Now Available
The iQIES (Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System) Team is announcing that the Idea Portal is now available. The iQIES Idea Portal is a central place to collect, curate, and promote ideas that will help CMS add your feedback into our future software product development.
In the Idea Portal, you can:
- Create and post your ideas
- Vote on other people’s ideas
- Comments on others’ ideas
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Don't Forget to Nominate Your Staff!
The 2023 Staff Recognition Program is here again and this is a way for you to honor your staff and volunteers. Our yearly awards ceremony is just a small way of honoring some of the great men and women who care for the elders of our great state! The time taken from your busy schedules to fill out this nomination is very much appreciated.
Winners will be honored at our Annual Convention and Trade Show on Friday, September 29, 2023.
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Joint Provider Fire Marshal Training
This Joint Training seminar for Kansas Adult Care Home providers and the OSFM staff was created as the result of the cooperative efforts of the long-term care associations and the Office of the Sate Fire Marshal. KHCA is pleased to offer this one-day session in two locations to discuss the top tags issued from the OFSM.
Three Options to attend:
August 9, 2023 (Olathe)
August 9, 2023 (Virtual)
August 10, 2023 (Wichita)
Agenda:
8:30 AM - Registration
9:00 – 9:10 - Welcome
9:10 – 10:00 - Top 5 K-tags (countdown to #1 sprinklers)
10:00 – 10:15 - Break
10:15 – 11:30 - Sprinkler System Maintenance – What you need to know
11:30 – 12:20 - The in’s and out’s of Fire Watch
12:20 – 1:20 - Lunch Provided
1:20 – 2:10 - Fire Drills
2:10 – 2:30 - Break
2:30 – 3:00 - The importance and layout of a fire safety book in your facility
3:00 – 3:50 - Voices of experience
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Webinar: Deep Dive Into Federal Regulations in a Year: §483.40 Behavioral Health Service Requirements
8/8/2023 1:30PM - 3:00PM
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Joint Provider Fire Marshal Training
Three Options to attend:
August 9, 2023 (Olathe)
August 9, 2023 (Virtual)
August 10, 2023 (Wichita)
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Virtual Silver Award Workshop Session 1
8/10/2023 1:00PM - 4:00PM
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Assisted Living Lunch and Learn - Survey Preparedness and Plans of Correction
8/18/2023 10:00AM - 2:00PM
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Webinar: Mission Possible: SNF Department Head Briefing - Advanced Action Planning for Administrators
8/22/2023 1:30PM - 2:30PM
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JUST ADDED! Webinar: Bedrails in Assisted Living; Do you know what's required?
8/24/2023 2:00PM - 3:15PM
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73rd Annual Convention and Tradeshow
9/27/2023 2:00PM - 9/29/2023 4:00PM
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Administrator in Training (AIT) Program
We are excited to announce our new AIT Program! Click here for more details.
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Kansas Health Care Association and the Kansas Center for Assisted Living
1100 SW Gage Blvd. | PO Box 4770 | Topeka, KS 66604
PH: 785-267-6003 FAX: 785-267-0833
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