CMS SNF Open Door Forum to discuss the forthcoming SNF PPS rule is scheduled for Thursday, April 15th at 1 PM Central. Dial: 1-888-455-1397 & Conference Passcode: 8604468.
CMS Proposes FY 2022 SNF Payment Rule. The proposed increase to the SNF PPS payment rate is 1.3% after a 0.8% forecast error adjustment. The rule proposes certain exclusions to SNF consolidated billing and PDPM adjustments including ICD-10 code mappings and includes a discussion of methodology for recalibrating the PDPM parity adjustment. The rule proposes updates to SNF QRP requirements, including a revision of the number of quarters used for QRP reporting due to the public health emergency. The rule also proposes 2 new QRP measures: Healthcare-associated infections requiring hospitalization and COVID-19 vaccination coverage among healthcare personnel. CMS proposes that data for the latter measure would be reported through NHSN. The rule also proposes updates to the SNF VBP program, including suppression of the 30-day all-cause readmission measure for FY 2022 VBP program year and other proposals for scoring and adjusting payments to SNFs. The proposed rule can be found here. LeadingAge national will post a summary soon. Comments are due by June 7.
CMS terminates select federal blanket waivers effective May 10 (except 3-day stay waiver): CMS released this memo late last week announcing the termination of 4 federal blanket waivers related to resident transfer and discharge, room and roommate changes, completion of care plans, and submission of MDS data. These waivers will be terminated effective May 10, 2021. The 3-day stay waiver is not being terminated and remains in effect at this time. Additionally, the memo provided clarification of the nurse aide training waiver, which also remains in effect at this time. Read more here. See LeadingAge national’s updated blanket waivers chart here. Recall that unless otherwise noted, federal blanket waivers remain in effect until the end of the public health emergency. The public health emergency is currently set to expire April 20, 2021; however, it is anticipated to be extended for another 90 days without interruption.
