CMS has released the FY 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System Final Rule, which includes a 2.4% payment rate increase for SNFs beginning in fiscal year 2027. The rule also finalizes several updates to the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (QRP), including the removal of two COVID-19 vaccination measures, a shorter data submission timeframe beginning in FY 2029, and a new requirement for SNFs to submit Minimum Data Set (MDS) information for all residents receiving covered skilled care, regardless of payer. Additionally, CMS finalized updates to the SNF Value-Based Purchasing Program and requested feedback on potential changes to the Patient Driven Payment Model to address case-mix upcoding. Healthcare organizations should review the full rule to understand how these payment, reporting, and quality program changes may affect their operations.
Resource: Fiscal Year 2027 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System Final Rule (CMS 1843-F)