Skilled nursing providers will have more time to submit comments on a proposed rule that could hurt their supplemental payments.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Monday announced that it’s extending the comment period for the proposed Medicaid Fiscal Accountability rule. Comments can now be submitted until 5 p.m. EST Feb. 1. Previously, the deadline was Jan. 17.
The 15-day extension comes after LeadingAge and the American Health Care Association asked CMS to extend the comment period for the proposed rule.
LeadingAge called on the agency to lengthen the comment period by an additional 60 days, to March 17. The organization said members “are very concerned about the potential effect the proposed rule could have for nursing facility services, including both Medicaid financing and beneficiary access” in a December letter to CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services.
The rule, which was announced in mid-November, is an effort to bring more transparency to Medicaid payment processes and eliminate suspect practices.
The measure would establish new reporting requirements for states to report provider-level information on Medicaid supplemental payments, including supplemental payments approved under either Medicaid state plan or demonstration authority, and on applicable upper payment limits.
It also would establish requirements to ensure state plan amendments that propose new supplemental payments are “consistent with the proper and efficient operation of the state plan and with efficiency, economy and quality of care,” federal documents explained.
