CMS Proposes Inadequate Home Health Payment Update
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued a proposed calendar year (CY) 2025 home health prospective payment system.
What else to know: CMS estimates payments to home health agencies, as a result of the changes in the proposed rule, will decrease by $280 million (1.7%). Other key provisions of the proposed rule include:
CHA Comments on Data Collection for MA Plans
What’s happening: CHA submitted comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in response to a request for information related to data collection for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans.
What else to know: CHA strongly encourages CMS to use the formal rulemaking process to implement additional data collection and reporting requirements.
CHA Comments in Response to IRF, IPF Payment Proposed Rules
What’s happening: CHA submitted comments in response to the federal fiscal year 2025 inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF) and inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPF) prospective payment system proposed rules.
What else to know: Comments were due to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services by 2 p.m. (PT) on May 28.
Summary: Finalized Skilled-Nursing Facility Staffing Standards
What’s happening: A summary is available of finalized new staffing standards for long-term care facilities, including skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs) and SNFs operated as distinct-part units of acute care hospitals.
What else to know: The regulations are effective June 21, with compliance with overall ratios required beginning May 2026.
CHA Issues Summaries of IPPS, LTCH PPS Proposed Rules
What’s happening: CHA has issued summaries of the federal fiscal year 2025 inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital (LTCH) PPS proposed rules.
What else to know: CHA will host a complimentary, members-only webinar on the IPPS provisions on May 15. Comments on the proposed rules are due by 2 p.m. (PT) on June 10.
CMS Finalizes Skilled-Nursing Facility Staffing Standards
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule establishing new staffing standards for long-term care facilities, including skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs) and SNFs operated as distinct-part units of acute care hospitals.
What else to know: The regulations are effective June 21. Compliance with overall ratios is required beginning May 2026.
Summaries: FFY 2025 Hospice, Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility, Skilled-Nursing Facility Medicare Payment Rules
What’s happening: Summaries of the hospice wage index, inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) prospective payment system (PPS), and skilled-nursing facility (SNF) PPS proposed rules are now available.
What else to know: Comments on the proposed rules are due by May 28.
CMS Proposes 2.6% Inpatient Prospective Payment System Rate Increase for FY 2025
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a net increase to base Medicare inpatient payment rates (market basket update) of 2.6% for fiscal year (FY) 2025.
What else to know: The increase is included in the FY 2025 Medicare hospital inpatient prospective payment system (IPPS) and long-term care hospital (LTCH) prospective payment system proposed rule. Comments on the proposed rule are due to CMS by June 10.
CMS Issues Post-Acute Care Payment Proposed Rules
What’s happening: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued its proposed payment policies for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), skilled-nursing facilities (SNFs), and hospices for federal fiscal year (FFY) 2025.
What else to know: Comments on the proposed rules are due to CMS by 2 p.m. (PT) on May 28.
Recording of IRF Review Choice Demonstration Webinar Available
What’s happening: In August 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) initiated the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Review Choice Demonstration (IRF RCD) Program in Alabama. CMS plans to expand the program to several other states, including California.
What else to know: On Feb. 13, CHA hosted a webinar on the IRF RCD; a recording is now available.