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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Health Care Association (AHCA), representing more than 14,000 nursing homes and other long term care facilities across the country that provide care to approximately five million people each year, released a statement today in response to the Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System (SNF PPS) fiscal year (FY) 2025 proposed rule released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The agency is proposing a net increase of 4.1 percent in Medicare Part A payments to SNFs in FY 2025.
The following statement is attributable to AHCA President and CEO Mark Parkinson:
“We appreciate that CMS has reflected the increasing costs that providers are facing due to ever-rising labor and operational expenses. Medicare is an essential part of the health care equation for our nation’s seniors, and this proposed rule recognizes the importance of ensuring government reimbursement is in line with the real-world costs associated with delivering quality care. This kind of reliable funding is part of what makes it possible for providers to continue to do what they do best—provide seniors access to the care they need.
“While we appreciate this proposed increase, this funding will not stem the tide for the billions of dollars that will be required by providers each year to meet the agency’s proposed minimum staffing requirement. We implore the Administration and CMS to reverse course on this staffing mandate; otherwise, more nursing homes will close, more vulnerable residents will be displaced by these closures, and more seniors won’t be able to access the long term care they need. A modest Medicare payment bump is woefully inadequate when coupled with an unfunded staffing mandate.”