White House will not touch Medicaid in proposed budget

The massive final rule for nursing homes — including possible new regulations on arbitration — is on its way.

The White House Office of Management and Budget wrapped up review of the rule on Monday, according to its reginfo.gov page. The final rule will implement changes for long-term care facilities that “reflect the substantial advances that have been made over the past several years  in the theory and practice of service delivery and safety,” the latest update on the rule reads.

While release of the final rule is expected in September, it’s unclear just how soon the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will publish it.

Among the wide range of topics covered final rule is the closely-watched issue of arbitration clauses in nursing home contracts, which has sparked debate between providers and lawmakers since the proposed rule was published last July.

The rule is also forecasted to include new regulations on dietary options for residents, reducing antipsychotic use and higher staffing standards.