Medicare program; home health prospective payment system rate update for calendar year 2012. Final rule

This final rule sets forth updates to the home health prospective payment system (HH PPS) rates, including: the national standardized 60-day episode rates; the national per-visit rates; and the low utilization payment amount (LUPA) under the Medicare PPS for home health agencies effective January 1, 2012. This rule applies a 1.4 percent update factor to the episode rates, which reflects a 1 percent reduction applied to the 2.4 percent market basket update factor, as mandated by the Affordable Care Act. This rule also updates the wage index used under the HH PPS, and further reduces home health payments to account for continued nominal growth in case-mix which is unrelated to changes in patient health status. This rule removes two hypertension codes from the HH PPS case-mix system, thereby requiring recalibration of the case-mix weights. In addition, the rule implements two structural changes designed to decrease incentives to upcode and provide unneeded therapy services. Finally, this rule incorporates additional flexibility regarding face-to-face encounters with providers related to home health care.     

Medicare program; home health prospective payment system refinement and rate update for calendar year 2008. Final rule with comment period

This final rule with comment period sets forth an update to the 60-day national episode rates and the national per-visit amounts under the Medicare prospective payment system for home health services, effective on January 1, 2008. As part of this final rule with comment period, we are also rebasing and revising the home health market basket to ensure it continues to adequately reflect the price changes of efficiently providing home health services. This final rule with comment period also sets forth the refinements to the payment system. In addition, this final rule with comment period establishes new quality of care data collection requirements. Finally, this final rule with comment period allows for further public comment on the 2.71 percent reduction to the home health prospective payment system payment rates that are scheduled to occur in 2011, to account for changes in coding that were not related to an underlying change in patient health status (section III.B.6).     

Medicare program; home health prospective payment system rate update for calendar year 2011; changes in certification requirements for home health agencies and hospices. Final rule

This final rule sets forth an update to the Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) rates, including: the national standardized 60-day episode rates, the national per-visit rates, the nonroutine medical supply (NRS) conversion factors, and the low utilization payment amount (LUPA) add-on payment amounts, under the Medicare prospective payment system for HHAs effective January 1, 2011. This rule also updates the wage index used under the HH PPS and, in accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (Affordable Care Act), updates the HH PPS outlier policy. In addition, this rule revises the home health agency (HHA) capitalization requirements. This rule further adds clarifying language to the "skilled services" section. The rule finalizes a 3.79 percent reduction to rates for CY 2011 to account for changes in case-mix, which are unrelated to real changes in patient acuity. Finally, this rule incorporates new legislative requirements regarding face-to-face encounters with providers related to home health and hospice care.     

Medicare program; prospective payment system for long-term care hospitals: annual payment rate updates, policy changes, and clarification. Final rule

This final rule updates the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs). The payment amounts and factors used to determine the updated Federal rates that are described in this final rule have been determined based on the LTCH PPS rate year July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006. The annual update of the long-term care diagnosis-related group (LTC-DRG) classifications and relative weights remains linked to the annual adjustments of the acute care hospital inpatient diagnosis-related group system, and will continue to be effective each October 1. The outlier threshold for July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006 is also derived from the LTCH PPS rate year calculations. We are adopting new labor market area definitions for the purpose of geographic classification and the wage index. We are also making policy changes and clarifications.     

Medicare program; home health prospective payment system rate update for calendar year 2007 and Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 changes to Medicare payment for oxygen equipment and capped rental durable medical equipment; final rule

This final rule sets forth an update to the 60-day national episode rates and the national per-visit amounts under the Medicare prospective payment system for home health services. In addition, this final rule sets forth policy changes related to Medicare payment for certain durable medical equipment for the purpose of implementing sections 1834(a)(5) and 1834(a)(7) of the Social Security Act, as amended by section 5101 of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005. This final rule also responds to public comments on the August 3, 2006, proposed rule that pertain to a number of issues including the requirement that home health payments are based on the reporting of specific quality data by home health agencies.     

Medicare program; inpatient psychiatric facilities prospective payment system payment update for rate year beginning July 1, 2006 (RY 2007). Final rule

This final rule updates the prospective payment rates for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs). These changes are applicable to IPF discharges occurring during the rate year beginning July 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007. In addition, we are adopting the new Office of Management and Budget (OMB) labor market area definitions for the purpose of geographic classification and the wage index. We are also making revisions to existing policies and implementing new polices.     

Medicare program; prospective payment system for hospital outpatient services. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS. Interim final rule with comment period

This interim final rule with comment period provides for the annual update to the Medicare hospital outpatient prospective payment system conversion factor that is used to calculate the payment amount for each payment group, effective January 1, 2001. It also updates the wage index values and incorporates the year 2001 changes in the procedure codes that are used to make payments under this system. In this rule, we are also responding to public comments received on those portions of the April 7, 2000 final rule with comment period (which established the hospital outpatient prospective payment system) that implemented related provisions of the Balanced Budget Refinement Act (BBRA) of 1999. In addition, we are responding to public comments on the August 3, 2000 interim final rule with comment period that modified the April 7, 2000 final rule with comment period by revising the criteria used to define new or innovative medical devices, drugs, and biologicals eligible for transitional pass-through payments and correcting the criteria for grandfathering provider-based Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) into the prospective payment system.     

Medicare program; hospice wage index; correction--HCFA. Correction notice

This document corrects the final rule published August 8, 1997 (62 FR 42859), that established a methodology to update the wage index used to adjust Medicare payment rates for hospice care included in the new wage index, to be effective October 1, 1997. This notice corrects the wage index entry for Cherokee, GA.     

Medicare program; hospice wage index--HCFA. Final rule

This final rule establishes a methodology to update the wage index used to adjust Medicare payment rates for hospice care. It also includes the new wage index, to be effective October 1, 1997. The wage index is used to reflect local differences in wage levels. A new wage index is needed because the index currently applied is based on 1981 wage and employment data and has not been updated since 1983. The methodology is based on the recommendations of a negotiated rulemaking advisory committee comprised of persons who represent interests affected by the hospice rules.     

Medicare program; changes to the FY 1999 hospital inpatient prospective payment wage index and standardized amounts resulting from approved requests for wage data revisions. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS. Final rule

This final rule implements revised wage index values, geographic adjustment factors, operating standardized amounts, and capital Federal rates for hospitals subject to the inpatient prospective payment system. These changes result from requests made by hospitals in response to a final rule with comment period published in the Federal Register on November 19, 1998. These revisions will be implemented on a prospective basis.     

Medicare program; inpatient psychiatric facilities prospective payment system--update for rate year beginning July 1, 2011 (RY 2012). Final rule

This final rule updates the prospective payment rates for Medicare inpatient hospital services provided by inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs) for discharges occurring during the rate year (RY) beginning July 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012. The final rule also changes the IPF prospective payment system (PPS) payment rate update period to a RY that coincides with a fiscal year (FY). In addition, the rule implements policy changes affecting the IPF PPS teaching adjustment. It also rebases and revises the Rehabilitation, Psychiatric, and Long-Term Care (RPL) market basket, and makes some clarifications and corrections to terminology and regulations text.     

Medicare program; prospective payment system for long-term care hospitals: annual payment rate updates and policy changes. Final rule

This final rule establishes the annual update of the payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs). It also changes the annual period for which the rates are effective. The rates will be effective from July 1 to June 30 instead of from October 1 through September 30, establishing a "long-term care hospital rate year" (LTCH PPS rate year). We also change the publication schedule for these updates to allow for an effective date of July 1. The payment amounts and factors used to determine the updated Federal rates that are described in this final rule have been determined based on this revised LTCH PPS rate year. The annual update of the long-term care diagnosis-related groups (LTC-DRG) classifications and relative weights remains linked to the annual adjustments of the acute care hospital inpatient diagnosis-related group system, and will continue to be effective each October 1. The outlier threshold for July 1, 2003, through June 30, 2004, is also derived from the LTCH PPS rate year calculations. In addition, we are making an adjustment to the short-stay outlier policy for certain LTCHs and a policy change eliminating bed-number restrictions for pre-1997 LTCHs that have established satellite facilities and elect to be paid 100 percent of the Federal rate or when the LTCH is fully phased-in to 100 percent of the Federal prospective rate after the transition period.     

Medicare program; prospective payment system for home health agencies. Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), HHS. Final rule

This final rule establishes requirements for the new prospective payment system for home health agencies as required by section 4603 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997, as amended by section 5101 of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1999 and by sections 302, 305, and 306 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Balanced Budget Refinement Act of 1999. The requirements include the implementation of a prospective payment system for home health agencies, consolidated billing requirements, and a number of other related changes. The prospective payment system described in this rule replaces the retrospective reasonable-cost-based system currently used by Medicare for the payment of home health services under Part A and Part B.     

Medicare program; prospective payment system for long-term care hospitals RY 2009: annual payment rate updates, policy changes, and clarifications; and electronic submission of cost reports: revision to effective date of cost reporting period. Final rule

This final rule updates the annual payment rates for the Medicare prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient hospital services provided by long-term care hospitals (LTCHs). We are also consolidating the annual July 1 update for payment rates and the October 1 update for Medicare severity long-term care diagnosis-related group (MS-LTC-DRG) weights to a single rulemaking cycle that coincides with the Federal fiscal year (FFY). In addition, we are clarifying various policy issues. This final rule also finalizes the provisions from the Electronic Submission of Cost Reports: Revision to Effective Date of Cost Reporting Period interim final rule with comment period that was published in the May 27, 2005 Federal Register which revises the existing effective date by which all organ procurement organizations (OPOs), rural health clinics (RHCs), Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), and community mental health centers (CMHCs) are required to submit their Medicare cost reports in a standardized electronic format from cost reporting periods ending on or after December 31, 2004 to cost reporting periods ending on or after March 31, 2005. This final rule does not affect the current cost reporting requirement for hospices and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) facilities. Hospices and ESRD facilities are required to continue to submit cost reports under the Medicare regulations in a standardized electronic format for cost reporting periods ending on or after December 31, 2004.     

Medicare program; legislative changes concerning payment to hospitals for federal fiscal year 1991--HCFA. Notice of legislative changes

This notice describes changes to the Medicare prospective payment system for inpatient hospital services concerning the hospital wage index and the regional payment floor resulting from the provisions of the Continuing Resolution of October 1, 1990 (Pub. L. 101-403). Also described in this notice are those self-implementing portions of sections 4001 (a) and (c), 4002 (e) and (f), 4007, 4151, and 4158 of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-508) that affect Federal fiscal year 1991 payments to prospective payment hospitals and hospitals and units excluded from the prospective payment system. The changes required by these sections affect the following: 15 percent capital payment reduction, use of the regional payment floor, offset for physician assistant services, market basket percentage increase, standardized amounts, hospital-specific rates for sole community hospitals and Medicare-dependent small rural hospitals, target rate of increases for excluded hospitals and units, hospital wage index, payments for graduate medical education, and Part B payment reduction.     

Medicare program; prospective payment system and consolidated billing for skilled nursing facilities for FY 2008. Final rule

This final rule updates the payment rates used under the prospective payment system (PPS) for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for fiscal year (FY) 2008. In addition, this final rule revises and rebases the SNF market basket, and modifies the threshold for the adjustment to account for market basket forecast error. This final rule also responds to public comments submitted on the proposed rule and makes a technical correction in the regulations text.     

Medicare program; application of inherent reasonableness payment policy to Medicare Part B services (other than physician services). Final rule

This final rule finalizes the process that was set forth in an interim final rule published on December 13, 2002, for establishing a realistic and equitable payment amount for Medicare Part B services (other than physicians' services) when the existing payment amounts are inherently unreasonable because they are either grossly excessive or grossly deficient. This process does not apply to services paid under a prospective payment system, such as outpatient hospital services or home health services. The December 2002 interim final rule also described the factors we (or our carriers) will consider and the procedures we will follow in establishing realistic and equitable payment amounts for Medicare Part B services. In addition, this final rule responds to public comments we received on two provisions in the December 13, 2002 interim final rule relating to how we define grossly excessive or deficient payment amounts and to the criteria for using valid and reliable data in applying the inherent reasonableness authority.