CMS is set to implement updated payment policies and rates for the end-stage renal disease prospective payment system at the beginning of 2017, JDSupra Business Advisor reports.
Here's what you need to know.
1. CMS is expecting to pay around $9 billion to 6,000 facilities through bundled payments in 2017.
2. The finalized base rate for 2017 is $231.55, a $1.16 increase from 2016.
3. CMS is not changing the wage index floor, and will continue the current rate of $0.40.
4. CMS also updated its quality incentive program in which payments are coupled with improved quality of care. Facilities that fail to achieve a minimum total performance score will face a reduction in payment rates. There will be no changes to the 2018 program.
5. For the 2019 quality incentive program, CMS is adding a safety measure domain as a third category for measures. CMS will also include the National Healthcare Safety Network Dialysis Event reporting measure into a measure set.
CMS updated the hypercalcemia measure for 2019 by adding plasma as an acceptable substrate in addition to serum calcium.