Blog
CMS Needs to Hear From You!
- By: Danielle Watford
- On: 04/26/2022 15:42:05
- In: Legislative/Government Affairs
On April 11th, CMS released the proposed rule, FY 2023 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNFs) Prospective Payment System Rate Update and Quality Reporting Requirements (CMS-1765). Due to the proposed parity adjustment, CMS estimates that the net market basket update would decrease Medicare SNF payments by approximately $320 million. Mark Parkinson, President and CEO of the American Health Care Association (AHCA), made the following statement regarding the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) FY 2022 proposed rule released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) today.
“Nursing homes across the country continue to dedicate extensive resources to protect their residents and staff from COVID-19. This ongoing work makes government support and robust reimbursement rates more important than ever. With the skilled nursing profession grappling with an economic crisis and hundreds of facilities on the brink of closure due to the pandemic, it is critical that Medicare remain a reliable funding source and reflect the increasing costs providers are facing."
We urge you to have your voice heard by CMS.
AHCA/NCAL has established an user friendly comment submission site that will make the process of submitting comments quick and easy.
Helpful tips:
- In your letter you must reference the CMS SNF Proposed Rule – FY 2023 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNFs) Prospective Payment System Rate Update and Quality Reporting Requirements (CMS-1765), which can easily be done by copying from here and pasting in the subject or message.
- Ask for the parity adjustment to be phased-in.
- Explain from your own perspective how a reduction will impact patient care.
- Explain the impact of the workforce shortage; include details on how your residents are impacted.
- For instance, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) hospitals have lost 2% of their workforce, compared to a 15% workforce decline among nursing homes and a 7% decline among assisted living communities nationwide.
- MHCA estimates a 10% workforce decline among its nursing home and assisted living members.
- The pandemic created a significant occupancy decline in our long term care facilities that continues to be exacerbated today by a shortage of staff. Although providers may have capacity, they may not have the staff to care for residents. As such, they are limiting admissions, which is contributing to access challenges across the state.
- According to Mainecare Data Management Reports Maine nursing home census is at a 4 year low averaging below 75%.
- The closure of a LTC facility has a devastating impact on the local community, creating job loss, and reduced access to long term care services close to home. These are never decisions that are made quickly or lightly and are not without significant lasting impact on Maine people and our communities.
- Maine has experienced 6 facility closures resulting in a loss of 278 potential beds for aging Mainers.
Maine's long term care providers have risen to an occasion like no other. They have persevered to care for their residents in ways no one could have imagined. Despite glimmers of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, it is not over for long term care.
The more personalized you can make your comment, the better. Use your own circumstances and your own examples to drive home your message. If you submit your comment directly to Regulations.gov, please let AHCA know, so we are able to track how many comments have been submitted.
The comment deadline is June 10, 2022, 5:00 PM EST.
To Submit Comments, Click Here
Staff Contact: dwatford@mehca.org