CMS Approves SNA State Plan Amendment

Nursing Facility Safety Net Assessment approved:
 
By letter dated 10/25/11, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) National Institutional Reimbursement Team (NIRT) notified Washington’s Healthcare Authority (HCA) that they approved Washington State Plan Amendment (SPA) 11-009.

By letter dated 10/20/11, the CMS notified the HCA that the request for waiver of the broad based and uniformity provisions of section 1903(w)(3)(B) and (C) of the Social Security Act is approved.

Both, the SPA and waiver, are effective retroactive to July 1, 2011.  The elements of the nursing facility bed tax and the payment rate setting methodology changes as provided for in ESSB5581 from the 2011 Washington Legislative session remain intact and suffered no changes in the State gaining approval from CMS for continued federal financial participation.