AHCA/NCAL will host a webinar on April 21 at 2:30 pm to review the fiscal year (FY) 2022 skilled nursing facility (SNF) proposed payment rule and discuss submitting comments to CMS. The proposed rule includes a net market basket increase of 1.3 percent, which CMS estimates would increase Medicare SNF payments by approximately $444 million in FY 2022.

CMS also shares in the proposed rule that preliminary data shows the shift to the Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) is not budget-neutral as required by statute. CMS believes there is a 5 percent increase in overall payment levels. Based on the data from the first two years of PDPM, CMS indicates that a PDPM recalibration is necessary to reduce overall payments by 5 percent and achieve budget neutrality.

During the webinar, AHCA/NCAL President and CEO Mark Parkinson will brief members on the recalibration methods proposed by CMS, including delayed and phased implementation. He will also discuss how these will impact the profession and provide guidance for submitting comments to CMS about the proposed approaches by the June 7 deadline.

Register now for the member webinar.

Background the CMS FY 2022 SNF Proposed Payment Rule

CMS issued the proposed rule for the SNF prospective payment system (PPS) FY 2022 update on April 9. The proposed rule includes a net market basket increase of 1.3 percent. CMS estimates that the net market basket update would increase Medicare SNF payments by approximately $444 million in FY 2022. The 1.3 percent net market basket is the result of statutorily-mandated adjustments.

Additionally, CMS discusses proposals to rebase and revise the Market Basket weights (a regularly scheduled update), solicits comments on possible adjustments/recalibration to the PDPM, and solicits delete budget proposes a new Consolidated Billing exclusion.

AHCA has developed a summary of the proposed rule, which includes an overview of the payment updates, the SNF value-based purchasing (VBP) program, and the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act quality reporting additions.