Medicare pay recommendations for nursing homes to be formally released
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) will officially release its annual report on payment recommendations for nursing home operators and other providers on Monday. An early afternoon media briefing is expected to set off a flurry of commentary on the advice MedPAC will be offering Congress. MedPAC Executive Director Mark Miller will release his group's report.While it is no secret that MedPAC commissioners are expected to recommend a payment freeze for long-term care providers, the issuance of the group's final report is nonetheless important for those in long-term care. Physicians, hospitals and others that tie in to the long-term care network regularly will learn whether any deviations from preliminary recommendations made in December and January will be handed down.
Medicare payments in recent years have been a bright spot for nursing home operators. Reimbursement from the Medicare program helps make up for what providers call insufficient Medicaid payments. While MedPAC is an advisory body to members of Congress, its recommendations are not binding and have, in fact, been ignored by lawmakers every time in recent memory when it comes to long-term care funding policy.
