MedPAC March 2011 Report
The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) has released its March 2011 Report to the Congress: Medicare Payment Policy which makes recommendations to Congress on Medicare payment policies for 2012. MedPAC releases two reports annually: one in March and one in June. Although neither Congress nor the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) are required to follow MedPAC’s recommendations, the policy proposals have a significant impact on legislative and regulatory actions. In the Report, MedPAC recommends the following:
- a zero payment increase for home health, inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), long-term care hospitals (LTCHs), and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) for 2012;
- a 1% payment increase for hospices for 2012;
- the addition of a non-therapy ancillary (NTA) component to the SNF prospective payment system (PPS);
- restrictions on group therapy in SNFs; and
- investigations by the Office of Inspector General of inappropriate hospice admissions, referrals, enrollment practices and marketing materials.
AOTA staff regularly attends MedPAC meetings in downtown Washington, DC.
