President Bush on Monday signed a war-spending bill that delays six of seven Medicaid regulations until April of 2009. The move represents a so-called “win” for nursing-home providers.

The regulations that were put off would have limited the use of provider taxes and intergovernmental transfers, which states rely on to draw down more federal funding for nursing homes and other entities. They also would have cut some case-management services. Congress excluded from the moratorium a proposed Medicaid rule that would narrowly define hospital outpatient services.

The administration wasn’t necessarily pleased with the moratorium on the six rules. In a statement at the signing, Bush praised many parts of the legislation but did not mention the Medicaid rules.