Miscellaneous

AGENCY FOR HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION
Medicaid
Agency for Heath Care Administration

The Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (the Agency), Bureau of Medicaid Program Analysis, provides the following public notice regarding reimbursement for nursing home facilities participating in the Florida Medicaid Program.

PURPOSE: To comply with federal public notice requirements in Section 1902(a)(13)(A) of the Social Security Act in changing reimbursement for nursing home facilities, the Agency is publishing the final rates, the methodologies underlying the establishment of such rates, and justifications for the final rates. The Agency has amended its Title XIX Long-Term Care Reimbursement Plan (The Plan) to incorporate changes to the reimbursement methodology.

FINAL RATES: The purpose of the amendment was to incorporate changes to the Florida Title XIX Long-Term Care Reimbursement Plan payment methodology effective January 1, 2007.

1.     The certified nursing assistant staffing ratio has been modified in accordance with Section 400.23(3), Florida Statutes, and the 2006-07 General Appropriations Act, House Bill 5001, Specific Appropriation 243, effective January 1, 2007.

2.     Effective April 25, 2007, in compliance with the Department of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) Case No. 06-3489RX, the low occupancy adjustment is no longer applicable.

METHODOLOGIES: The methodology underlying the establishment of the final rates for Medicaid nursing facilities are rates resulting from the revised methodology used to calculate per diem rates in the Title XIX Long-Term Care Reimbursement Plan. JUSTIFICATION: The justification for the final rate change is Section 400.23(3), Florida Statutes, and the 2006-07 General Appropriations Act, House Bill 5001, Specific Appropriation 243 and DOAH Case No. 06-3489RX.

The Agency has implemented the above changes effective January 1, 2007. Providers, beneficiaries and their representatives, and other concerned state residents may provide written comment on the final rates, methodologies and justification underlying the establishment of such changes. Written comments may be mailed to: Edwin Stephens, Agency for Health Care Administration, 2727 Mahan Drive, Building 3, Mail Stop 21, Tallahassee, Florida 32308 or emailed to stephene@ahca.myflorida.com.

Please contact the person listed above to request a copy of the Title XIX Long-Term Care Reimbursement Plan.