Final Rule: SNF Medicare FY 2016 Payments, Quality Reporting, Value-Based Purchasing and Staffing Data Collection Requirements Informational Only

• Publication of Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System (PPS) and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF) for FY 2016, SNF Value-Based Purchasing Program, SNF Quality Reporting Program, and Staffing Data Collection: The final rule published on August 4, 2015 implements the new requirements regarding the submission of staffing data to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data. The full text document can be found at https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2015/08/04/2015-18950/medicare-program-prospective-payment-system-and-consolidated-billing-for-skilled-nursing-facilities.
• Mandatory Electronic Submission of Staffing Data: Effective July 1, 2016 long-term care facilities that participate in Medicare and Medicaid must electronically submit direct care staffing information (including information for agency and contract staff) based on payroll and other verifiable and auditable data in a uniform format to CMS.
• Voluntary Electronic Submission of Staffing Data: Registration began August 4, 2015 for facilities to register for the voluntarily submission period which begins October 1, 2015.