CMS Issues Proposed Rule to Update Payment Rates for Inpatient Rehab Facilities

by Astrid Fiano, DOTmed News Writer | April 29, 2009

The CMS says that a major reason for updating the coverage policies is to help IRFs select the patients who need most the comprehensive and costly rehabilitation services furnished in the IRF setting. The proposed rule for facility and patient-level adjustments (not increasing total IRF payments) would:

--Update the CMG relative weights and average length of stay values using FY 2007 data.

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--Use the pre-reclassified and pre-floor hospital wage data to determine the proposed FY 2010 rates.

--Update the rural, low-income patient, and teaching status adjustment factors using the most recent three years of data.

The proposed rule is on display at Office of the Federal Register's Public Inspection Desk under "Special Filings," at: www.federalregister.gov/inspection.aspx

CMS will accept comments on the proposed rule until June 29, 2009, and will address all comments in a final rule to be issued by August 1, 2009. Comments on the draft MBPM revisions should be submitted through a link that will be supplied on the CMS Website. Information about how to submit comments on the draft MBPM provisions can be found at: www.cms.hhs.gov/InpatientRehabFacPPS/

Adapted from a press release by CMS.

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