Value-based purchasing programs for skilled nursing facilities (SNF) will begin in 2019. Beginning in 2018, skilled nursing facilities are required to take part in a quality reporting program. Those that do no do not submit data will be subject to a 2 percent reduction to their annual updates, CMS said.

In the proposed rules announced by CMS, SNFs will get an $800 million, or 2.1%, Medicare payment increase under the proposed rule for FY 2017. The proposed funding add up to a 2.1% increase from this year , compared to a 1.2% Medicare increase last year. This amounts to a $800 million bump.

“Three new claims-based measures, set for FY 2018, include discharge to community, Medicare spending per beneficiary and potentially preventable 30 day post-discharge readmission measure for skilled nursing facilities.”

CMS also introduced four new quality and resource use measures for skilled nursing facilities, in accordance with the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation Act of 2014 (IMPACT Act).

Three new claims-based measures, set for FY 2018, include discharge to community, Medicare spending per beneficiary and potentially preventable 30 day post-discharge readmission measure for skilled nursing facilities. In 2020, an assessment measure will be added to cover drug regimen reviews conducted with a follow-up for any identified issues … a review of all medications to identify potential adverse effects, duplicate drug therapy or noncompliance and needed more testing.

There are more than 16,000 skilled-nursing facilities throughout the country and they admit more than 2 million patients in the traditional Medicare program each year.