The Secretary should modify the PPS for skilled nursing facilities to more accurately capture the cost of providing care to different types of patients. This new system should:
* Reflect clinically relevant categories of patients;
* More accurately distribute payments for nontherapy ancillary services;
* Improve incentives to provide rehabilitation services based on the need for therapy; and
* Be based on more contemporary, representative date than the current system based on time study data from 1990, 1995, and 1997.
Skilled nursing facility services (2)
March 1, 2006