The Medicare Payment System for Skilled Nursing Facilities Needs To Be Reevaluated

This document was released in September, 2015 by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (OIG). The OIG analyzed skilled nursing facility (SNF) billing trends for Medicare therapy services from 2005 through 2013. The OIG reviewed several data sources, including Medicare Part A SNF claims, Medicare cost reports, and beneficiary assessments. They used Medicare cost reports to compare Medicare payments to SNFs' costs for therapy over a 10-year period, and used claims to determine the extent to which SNF billing and beneficiary characteristics changed from fiscal years (FYs) 2011 to 2013. The OIG sought . . .