The American Hospital Association wrote a letter to CMS June 10 urging the agency not to reduce Medicare payments for skilled nursing facilities in 2023.
"The timing of this proposed net decrease in payments could not be worse, given the well-documented impact of the COVID-19 public emergency (PHE) on the SNF and nursing home field," the letter read.
CMS proposed to adjust skilled nursing facility payment rates downward by 4.6 percent April 11, which decreases Medicare payments to facilities by approximately $320 million.
"Simply put, the SNF field is not equipped to bear the weight of a 4.6% cut given the impact of the PHE combined with the inflationary and other cost increases it is enduring, as described above," the letter read. "The proposal is particularly ill-timed given that CMS is not statutorily required to implement a cut for FY 2023."