2191 Payments to nursing facilities; July 1, 2001 revised proposed rates

DEPARTMENT OF
PUBLIC WELFARE

Payments to Nursing Facilities; July 1, 2001 Revised Proposed Rates

[31 Pa.B. 6748]

   The purpose of this notice is to announce revised proposed changes in payment rates for nursing facilities beginning July 1, 2001, and to identify the methodology and justification for these revised proposed rates. Under 42 U.S.C.A. § 1902(a)(13)(A), as amended by section 4711 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub.L. No. 105-33), a state must use a public process when it proposes to make changes in payment rates or payment methodologies for nursing facility services under its approved Title XIX State Plan. The Department of Public Welfare (Department) has submitted a State Plan Amendment which will, if approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) formerly the Health Care Financing Administration, change the methods and standards for setting payment rates for nursing facility services relating to movable property. Final rates cannot be issued until the State Plan Amendment is approved by CMS and changes are promulgated in regulations. Therefore, the Department is issuing revised proposed rates beginning July 1, 2001, to be used pending the approval of the State Plan Amendment and promulgation of regulations.

Rates

   The revised proposed July 1, 2001, rates are available at the local County Assistance Offices throughout this Commonwealth, on the Office of Medical Assistance Programs' (OMAP) website at www.dpw.state.pa.us/omap or by contacting Gail Weidman in the Policy Section of the Bureau of Long Term Care Programs at [phone].

Methodology

   The methodology the Department used to set the revised proposed rates is contained in 55 Pa. Code Chapter 1187, Subchapter G (relating to rate setting), final omitted regulations pending promulgation and the Commonwealth's pending Title XIX State Plan submitted to CMS on September 21, 2001. To accommodate the transition to the pending regulatory amendments, the Department revised the audited costs in the database used for rate setting. The criteria used to determine the appropriate adjustments is available on the OMAP website or by contacting Gail Weidman. The database used for rate setting is available on the OMAP website.

Justification

   The justification for the revised proposed rates is that they were set under the rate-setting methodology required by the Commonwealth's pending State Plan and the final omitted regulations.

   The estimated increase in annual aggregate expenditures for Medical Assistance nursing facility services for FY 2001-2002 is $102.576 million ($46.783 million in State funds).

   Interested persons are invited to submit written comments about the revised proposed rates to the Department within 30 days of publication of this notice in the Pennsylvania Bulletin. Comments should be addressed to Department of Public Welfare, Attention: Suzanne Love, P. O. Box 2675, Harrisburg, PA 17105.

   Persons with a disability may use the AT&T Relay Services by calling [phone] (TDD users) or [phone] (Voice users). Persons who require another alternative should contact Thomas Vracarich in the Office of Legal Counsel at [phone].

FEATHER O. HOUSTOUN,   
Secretary

   Fiscal Note:  14-NOT-304. (1) General Fund; (2) Implementing Year 2001-02 is $46,783,000; (3) 1st Succeeding Year 2002-03 is $51,036,000; 2nd Succeeding Year 2003-04 is $51,036,000; 3rd Succeeding Year 2004-05 is $51,036,000; 4th Succeeding Year 2005-06 is $51,036,000; 5th Succeeding Year 2006-07 is $51,036,000; (4) 2000-01 Program--$722,565,000; 1999-00 Program--$693,625,000; 1998-99--$721,631,000; (7) Long Term Care; (8) recommends adoption. Funds for these changes were included in the 2001-02 budget.

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 01-2191. Filed for public inspection December 7, 2001, 9:00 a.m.]