Virginia Regulatory Town Hall

Final Text

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Action:
2008 Reimbursement Changes
Stage: Final
 
12VAC30-70-311

12VAC30-70-311. Hospital specific operating rate per case.

A. The hospital specific operating rate per case shall be equal to the labor portion of the statewide operating rate per case, as determined in 12VAC30-70-331, times the hospital's Medicare wage index plus the nonlabor portion of the statewide operating rate per case.

B. For rural hospitals, the hospital's Medicare wage index used in this section shall be the Medicare wage index of the nearest metropolitan wage area or the effective Medicare wage index, whichever is higher.

C. Effective July 1, 2008, and ending after June 30, 2010, the hospital specific operating rate per case shall be reduced by 2.683%.

Statutory Authority

§§32.1-324 and 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 16, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 2000; amended, Virginia Register Volume 23, Issue 19, eff. July 1, 2007; Volume 24, Issue 26, eff. October 15, 2008.

12VAC30-70-321

12VAC30-70-321. Hospital specific operating rate per day.

A. The hospital specific operating rate per day shall be equal to the labor portion of the statewide operating rate per day, as determined in subsection A of 12VAC30-70-341, times the hospital's Medicare wage index plus the nonlabor portion of the statewide operating rate per day.

B. For rural hospitals, the hospital's Medicare wage index used in this section shall be the Medicare wage index of the nearest metropolitan wage area or the effective Medicare wage index, whichever is higher.

C. Effective July 1, 2008, and ending after June 30, 2010, the hospital specific operating rate per day shall be reduced by 2.683%.

C. D. The hospital specific rate per day for freestanding psychiatric cases shall be equal to the hospital specific operating rate per day, as determined in subsection A of this section plus the hospital specific capital rate per day for freestanding psychiatric cases.

D. E. The hospital specific capital rate per day for freestanding psychiatric cases shall be equal to the Medicare geographic adjustment factor for the hospital's geographic area, times the statewide capital rate per day for freestanding psychiatric cases.

E. F. The statewide capital rate per day for freestanding psychiatric cases shall be equal to the weighted average of the GAF-standardized capital cost per day of freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals.

F. G. The capital cost per day of freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals shall be the average charges per day of psychiatric cases times the ratio total capital cost to total charges of the hospital, using data available from Medicare cost report.

Statutory Authority

§§32.1-324 and 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 16, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 2000; amended, Virginia Register Volume 23, Issue 19, eff. July 1, 2007; Volume 24, Issue 26, eff. October 15, 2008.

12VAC30-90-41

12VAC30-90-41. Nursing facility reimbursement formula.

A. Effective on and after July 1, 2002, all NFs subject to the prospective payment system shall be reimbursed under "The Resource Utilization Group-III (RUG-III) System as defined in Appendix IV (12VAC30-90-305 through 12VAC30-90-307)." RUG-III is a resident classification system that groups NF residents according to resource utilization. Case-mix indices (CMIs) are assigned to RUG-III groups and are used to adjust the NF's per diem rates to reflect the intensity of services required by a NF's resident mix. See 12VAC30-90-305 through 12VAC30-90-307 for details on the Resource Utilization Groups.

1. Any NF receiving Medicaid payments on or after October 1, 1990, shall satisfy all the requirements of §1919(b) through (d) of the Social Security Act as they relate to provision of services, residents' rights and administration and other matters.

2. Direct and indirect group ceilings and rates.

a. In accordance with 12VAC30-90-20 C, direct patient care operating cost peer groups shall be established for the Virginia portion of the Washington DC-MD-VA MSA, the Richmond-Petersburg MSA and the rest of the state. Direct patient care operating costs shall be as defined in 12VAC30-90-271.

b. Indirect patient care operating cost peer groups shall be established for the Virginia portion of the Washington DC-MD-VA MSA, for the rest of the state for facilities with less than 61 licensed beds, and for the rest of the state for facilities with more than 60 licensed beds.

3. Each facility's average case-mix index shall be calculated based upon data reported by that nursing facility to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) (formerly HCFA) Minimum Data Set (MDS) System. See 12VAC30-90-306 for the case-mix index calculations.

4. The normalized facility average Medicaid CMI shall be used to calculate the direct patient care operating cost prospective ceilings and direct patient care operating cost prospective rates for each semiannual period of a NFs subsequent fiscal year. See 12VAC30-90-306 D 2 for the calculation of the normalized facility average Medicaid CMI.

a. A NFs direct patient care operating cost prospective ceiling shall be the product of the NFs peer group direct patient care ceiling and the NFs normalized facility average Medicaid CMI. A NFs direct patient care operating cost prospective ceiling will be calculated semiannually.

b. A CMI rate adjustment for each semiannual period of a nursing facility's prospective fiscal year shall be applied by multiplying the nursing facility's normalized facility average Medicaid CMI applicable to each prospective semiannual period by the nursing facility's case-mix neutralized direct patient care operating cost base rate for the preceding cost reporting period (see 12VAC30-90-307).

c. See 12VAC30-90-307 for the applicability of case-mix indices.

5. Direct and indirect ceiling calculations.

a. Effective for services on and after July 1, 2006, the direct patient care operating ceiling shall be set at 117% of the respective peer group day-weighted median of the facilities' case-mix neutralized direct care operating costs per day. The calculation of the medians shall be based on cost reports from freestanding nursing homes for provider fiscal years ending in the most recent base year. The medians used to set the peer group direct patient care operating ceilings shall be revised and case-mix neutralized every two years using the most recent reliable calendar year cost settled cost reports for freestanding nursing facilities that have been completed as of September 1.

b. The indirect patient care operating ceiling shall be set at 107% of the respective peer group day-weighted median of the facility's specific indirect operating cost per day. The calculation of the peer group medians shall be based on cost reports from freestanding nursing homes for provider fiscal years ending in the most recent base year. The medians used to set the peer group indirect operating ceilings shall be revised every two years using the most recent reliable calendar year cost settled cost reports for freestanding nursing facilities that have been completed as of September 1.

6. Reimbursement for use of specialized treatment beds. Effective for services on and after July 1, 2005, nursing facilities shall be reimbursed an additional $10 per day for those recipients who require a specialized treatment bed due to their having at least one Stage IV pressure ulcer. Recipients must meet criteria as outlined in 12VAC30-60-350, and the additional reimbursement must be preauthorized as provided in 12VAC30-60-40. Nursing facilities shall not be eligible to receive this reimbursement for individuals whose services are reimbursed under the specialized care methodology. Beginning July 1, 2005, this additional reimbursement shall be subject to adjustment for inflation in accordance with 12VAC30-90-41 B, except that the adjustment shall be made at the beginning of each state fiscal year, using the inflation factor that applies to provider years beginning at that time. This additional payment shall not be subject to direct or indirect ceilings and shall not be adjusted at year-end settlement.

B. Adjustment of ceilings and costs for inflation. Effective for provider fiscal years starting on and after July 1, 2002, ceilings and rates shall be adjusted for inflation each year using the moving average of the percentage change of the Virginia-Specific Nursing Home Input Price Index, updated quarterly, published by Standard & Poor's DRI. For state fiscal year 2003, peer group ceilings and rates for indirect costs will not be adjusted for inflation.

1. For provider years beginning in each calendar year, the percentage used shall be the moving average for the second quarter of the year, taken from the table published for the fourth quarter of the previous year. For example, in setting prospective rates for all provider years beginning in January through December 2002, ceilings and costs would be inflated using the moving average for the second quarter of 2002, taken from the table published for the fourth quarter of 2001.

2. Provider specific costs shall be adjusted for inflation each year from the cost reporting period to the prospective rate period using the moving average as specified in subdivision 1 of this subsection. If the cost reporting period or the prospective rate period is less than 12 months long, a fraction of the moving average shall be used that is equal to the fraction of a year from the midpoint of the cost reporting period to the midpoint of the prospective rate period.

3. Ceilings shall be adjusted from the common point established in the most recent rebasing calculation. Base period costs shall be adjusted to this common point using moving averages from the DRI tables corresponding to the provider fiscal period, as specified in subdivision 1 of this subsection. Ceilings shall then be adjusted from the common point to the prospective rate period using the moving average(s) for each applicable second quarter, taken from the DRI table published for the fourth quarter of the year immediately preceding the calendar year in which the prospective rate years begin. Rebased ceilings shall be effective on July 1 of each rebasing year, so in their first application they shall be adjusted to the midpoint of the provider fiscal year then in progress or then beginning. Subsequently, they shall be adjusted each year from the common point established in rebasing to the midpoint of the appropriate provider fiscal year. For example, suppose the base year is made up of cost reports from years ending in calendar year 2000, the rebasing year is SFY2003, and the rebasing calculation establishes ceilings that are inflated to the common point of July 1, 2002. Providers with years in progress on July 1, 2002, would receive a ceiling effective July 1, 2002, that would be adjusted to the midpoint of the provider year then in progress. In some cases this would mean the ceiling would be reduced from the July 1, 2002, ceiling level. The following table shows the application of these provisions for different provider fiscal periods.

Table I
Application of Inflation to Different Provider Fiscal Periods

Provider FYE

Effective Date of New Ceiling

First PFYE After Rebasing Date

Inflation Time Span from Ceiling Date to Midpoint of First PFY

Second PFYE After Rebasing Date

Inflation Time Span from Ceiling Date to Midpoint of Second PFY

3/31

7/1/02

3/31/03

+ 1/4 year

3/31/04

+ 1-1/4 years

6/30

7/1/02

6/30/03

+ 1/2 year

6/30/04

+ 1-1/2 years

9/30

7/1/02

9/30/02

- 1/4 year

9/30/03

+ 3/4 year

12/31

7/1/02

12/31/02

-0-

12/31/03

+ 1 year

The following table shows the DRI tables that would provide the moving averages for adjusting ceilings for different prospective rate years.

Table II
Source Tables for DRI Moving Average Values

Provider FYE

Effective Date of New Ceiling

First PFYE After Rebasing Date

Source DRI Table for First PFY Ceiling Inflation

Second PFYE After Rebasing Date

Source DRI Table for Second PFY Ceiling Inflation

3/31

7/1/02

3/31/03

Fourth Quarter 2001

3/31/04

Fourth Quarter 2002

6/30

7/1/02

6/30/03

Fourth Quarter 2001

6/30/04

Fourth Quarter 2002

9/30

7/1/02

9/30/02

Fourth Quarter 2000

9/30/03

Fourth Quarter 2001

12/31

7/1/02

12/31/02

Fourth Quarter 2000

12/31/03

Fourth Quarter 2001

In this example, when ceilings are inflated for the second PFY after the rebasing date, the ceilings will be inflated from July 1, 2002, using moving averages from the DRI table specified for the second PFY. That is, the ceiling for years ending June 30, 2004, will be the June 30, 2002, base period ceiling, adjusted by 1/2 of the moving average for the second quarter of 2002, compounded with the moving average for the second quarter of 2003. Both these moving averages will be taken from the fourth quarter 2002 DRI table.

C. The RUG-III Nursing Home Payment System shall require comparison of the prospective operating cost rates to the prospective operating ceilings. The provider shall be reimbursed the lower of the prospective operating cost rate or prospective operating ceiling.

D. Nonoperating costs. Plant or capital, as appropriate, costs shall be reimbursed in accordance with Articles 1, 2, and 3 of this subpart. Plant costs shall not include the component of cost related to making or producing a supply or service.

NATCEPs cost shall be reimbursed in accordance with 12VAC30-90-170.

E. The prospective rate for each NF shall be based upon operating cost and plant/capital cost components or charges, whichever is lower, plus NATCEPs costs. The disallowance of nonreimbursable operating costs in any current fiscal year shall be reflected in a subsequent year's prospective rate determination. Disallowances of nonreimbursable plant or capital, as appropriate, costs and NATCEPs costs shall be reflected in the year in which the nonreimbursable costs are included.

F. Effective July 1, 2001, for those NFs whose indirect operating cost rates are below the ceilings, an incentive plan shall be established whereby a NF shall be paid, on a sliding scale, up to 25% of the difference between its allowable indirect operating cost rates and the indirect peer group ceilings.

1. The following table presents four incentive examples:

 

Peer Group Ceilings

Allowable Cost Per Day

Difference

% of Ceiling

Sliding Scale

Scale % Difference

 

$30.00

$27.00

$3.00

10%

$0.30

10%

 

30.00

22.50

7.50

25%

1.88

25%

 

30.00

20.00

10.00

33%

2.50

25%

 

30.00

30.00

0

0

 

 

2. Efficiency incentives shall be calculated only for the indirect patient care operating ceilings and costs. Effective July 1, 2001, a direct care efficiency incentive shall no longer be paid.

G. Quality of care requirement. A cost efficiency incentive shall not be paid for the number of days for which a facility is out of substantial compliance according to the Virginia Department of Health survey findings as based on federal regulations.

H. Sale of facility. In the event of the sale of a NF, the prospective base operating cost rates for the new owner's first fiscal period shall be the seller's prospective base operating cost rates before the sale.

I. Public notice. To comply with the requirements of §1902(a)(28)(c) of the Social Security Act, DMAS shall make available to the public the data and methodology used in establishing Medicaid payment rates for nursing facilities. Copies may be obtained by request under the existing procedures of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act.

J. Effective July 1, 2005, the total per diem payment to each nursing home shall be increased by $3.00 per day. This increase in the total per diem payment shall cease effective July 1, 2006. Effective July 1, 2006, when cost data that include time periods before July 1, 2005, are used to set facility specific rates, a portion of the $3.00 per day amount identified above, based on the percentage of patient days in the provider's cost reporting period that fall before July 1, 2005, adjusted for appropriate inflation and multiplied times the provider's Medicaid utilization rate, shall be allocated to the facility specific direct and indirect cost per day prior to comparison to the peer group ceilings. For purposes of this subsection, $1.68 of the $3.00 shall be considered direct costs and $1.32 of the $3.00 shall be considered indirect costs.

K. Effective July 1, 2008, and ending after June 30, 2010, the operating rate for nursing facilities shall be reduced by 1.329%.

Statutory Authority

§§32.1-324 and 32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from Virginia Register Volume 12, Issue 16, eff. July 1, 1996; amended, Virginia Register Volume 17, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 2001; Volume 18, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 2002; Volume 19, Issue 18, eff. July 1, 2003; Volume 21, Issue 15, eff. July 1, 2005; Volume 22, Issue 22, eff. August 9, 2006; Volume 23, Issue 20, eff. August 25, 2007; Volume 24, Issue 26, eff. October 15, 2008.

12VAC30-120-100

12VAC30-120-100. Provider reimbursement.

A. All private duty nursing services shall be reimbursed at an hourly negotiated fee.

B. Respite care shall be reimbursed at an hourly negotiated fee.

C. Prior approval for durable medical equipment and supplies shall be requested from DMAS by the durable medical equipment provider. Prior approval by DMAS shall be required for all durable medical equipment and other medically related supplies furnished under this program before the individual's admission to waiver services and before reimbursement. If additional equipment and supplies are needed following the individual's admission to waiver services, the durable medical equipment provider must obtain DMAS' prior approval. This prior authorization requirement shall apply to all durable medical equipment and supplies that are covered under the State Plan or the waiver.

D. Personal assistance shall be reimbursed at an hourly negotiated fee.

E. Effective July 1, 2008, agency-directed individual supported employment rates shall be paid at the same provider-specific rates paid by the Department of Rehabilitative Services.

Statutory Authority

§32.1-325 of the Code of Virginia.

Historical Notes

Derived from VR460-04-8.5 §4, eff. June 22, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 13, Issue 22, eff. August 20, 1997; Volume 24, Issue 26, eff. October 15, 2008.