The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved a 3.3% rise in Medicare payments for skilled nursing facilities for fiscal year 2008. The increase will yield approximately $690 million more in payments next year, CMS said.

The rule, which will be published Friday in the Federal Register, bases the new payment on marketbasket data from 2004. Daily rates currently are based on data from fiscal year 1997, according to CMS. The agency uses the marketbasket as a cost-of-living measurement to determine payment increases.

The new SNF pay rates will include a special adjustment to cover the additional services required by nursing home residents with HIV/AIDS, Medicare said.