CMS Approves Nursing Home Safe Staffing Funding
Last week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved NY's Medicaid State Plan Amendment (SPA) providing a total of $187 million in funding to help offset the costs nursing homes face in meeting State minimum staffing level requirements. Because the Department of Health (DOH) agreed to distribute $93.5 million in State share of the funding while the SPA was pending, the outstanding amount due to providers is the remaining $93.5 million.
Nursing homes that spent at least 70 percent of revenue on direct resident care, at least 40 percent on resident-facing staffing, and did not exceed a 5 percent surplus margin based on 2020 cost report data were eligible for this funding. Free-standing homes received the State share distribution in March 2023 as well as a small residual payment in January 2024. Hospital-based homes were required to submit a financial survey and received their State share of the funding in January 2024. Those who received funding previously should receive a payment comparable to the first distribution (i.e., approximately $1,060 per certified bed) when DOH releases the funding. LeadingAge NY is urging DOH to do so without delay and will let members know when a payment date is established.
In addition, we remind members that supplemental payments totaling approximately 2 percent of annual Medicaid revenue are due to be released this week. The reconciliation of 2022 cash receipts assessment payments will be reflected in Medicaid checks scheduled to be released on March 27th (cycle 2429). We continue to wait for information on when payment adjustments reflecting the 2022 Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI) will be made.
Contact: Darius Kirstein, dkirstein@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8841