DOH Activates Nursing Home Minimum Wage Survey
A reminder for upstate member nursing homes that the Department of Health (DOH) has activated the 2023 Nursing Home Minimum Wage Survey. As in previous years, the Department is collecting counts of employees and hours by wage band and is using that data to adjust Medicaid rates for those facilities that have employees whose wages must be increased to meet the minimum wage rate taking effect at the end of the year. In upstate counties, the minimum wage will increase from $13.20 to $14.20 on Dec. 31, 2022. (In New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County, the minimum wage has reached $15 and is not changing at the end of this year; therefore, no minimum wage survey is required for these downstate regions.)
The survey has a quick turnaround time, with completed surveys and attestations due Dec. 23rd. The data requested is for the period April 1st through June 30, 2022. Upstate providers who wish to opt out of the survey may do so, although DOH requests that those opting out complete the first several questions. The link to the online survey is here. Survey instructions and the certification form are available at the survey link.
The instructions stress that all minimum wage data associated with reimbursable services reported in the Nursing Home Cost Report (RHCF IV) should be reported on this survey. However, Home Health services should be excluded, as the minimum wage adjustment is being handled separately. Also, nursing homes that operated as hospital-based nursing homes should complete a Nursing Home Minimum Wage Survey to capture the hospital-based nursing home minimum wage data. Hospital minimum wage data should be excluded from the Nursing Home Minimum Wage Survey.
The associated Dear Administrator Letter (DAL) is available here. If you have questions, please reach out to us or contact NFRates@health.ny.gov.
Contact: Darius Kirstein, dkirstein@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8841