[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 113 (Wednesday, June 14, 2017)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 27222-27223]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-12324]


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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

42 CFR Parts 409 and 488

[CMS-1686-N]
RIN 0938-AT17


Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated 
Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities: Revisions to Case-Mix 
Methodology; Extension of Comment Period

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS.

ACTION: Advance notice of proposed rulemaking with comment; extension 
of comment period.

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SUMMARY: This document extends the comment period for the advance 
notice of proposed rulemaking with comment entitled ``Medicare Program; 
Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing 
Facilities: Revisions to Case-mix Methodology'' that appeared in the 
May 4, 2017 Federal Register (82 FR 20980) (the ANPRM). The comment 
period for the ANPRM, which would end on June 26, 2017, is extended 
until August 25, 2017.

DATES: The comment period for the ANPRM (82 FR 20980) is extended to 5 
p.m., eastern daylight time, on August 25, 2017.

ADDRESSES: In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-1686-ANPRM. 
Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by 
facsimile (FAX) transmission.
    You may submit comments in one of four ways (please choose only one 
of the ways listed):
    1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on this 
regulation to http://www.regulations.gov. Within the search bar, enter 
the Regulation Identifier Number associated with this regulation, RIN 
0938-AT17, and then click on the ``Comment Now'' box.
    2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following 
address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of 
Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1686-ANPRM, P.O. Box 8016, 
Baltimore, MD 21244-8016.
    Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received 
before the close of the comment period.
    3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments to 
the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 
Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1686-ANPRM, 
Mail Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    4. By hand or courier. If you prefer, you may deliver (by hand or 
courier) your written comments before the close of the comment period 
to either of the following addresses:
    a. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health 
and Human Services, Room 445-G, Hubert H. Humphrey Building, 200 
Independence Avenue SW., Washington, DC 20201.
    (Because access to the interior of the Hubert H. Humphrey Building 
is not readily available to persons without Federal Government 
identification, commenters are encouraged to leave their comments in 
the CMS drop slots located in the main lobby of the building. A stamp-
in clock is available for persons wishing to retain a proof of filing 
by stamping in and retaining an extra copy of the comments being 
filed.)
    b. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health 
and Human Services, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.
    If you intend to deliver your comments to the Baltimore address, 
please call telephone number (410) 786-7195 in advance to schedule your 
arrival with one of our staff members.
    Comments mailed to the addresses indicated as appropriate for hand 
or courier delivery may be delayed and received after the comment 
period.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Kane, (410) 786-0557.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In the advance notice of proposed rulemaking 
with comment that appeared in the Federal Register on May 4, 2017 
entitled, ``Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and 
Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities: Revisions to Case-
mix Methodology'' (82 FR 20980) (the ANPRM), we solicited public 
comments on potential options we may consider for revising certain 
aspects of the existing skilled nursing facility (SNF) prospective 
payment system (PPS) payment methodology to improve its accuracy, based 
on the results of our SNF Payment Models Research (SNF PMR) project. In 
particular, in the ANPRM, we sought comments on the possibility of 
proposing to replace the SNF PPS' existing case-mix classification 
model, the Resource Utilization Groups, Version 4 (RUG-IV), with a new 
model, the Resident Classification System, Version I (RCS-I). We also 
discussed options for how such a change could be implemented, as well

[[Page 27223]]

as a number of other policy changes we may consider proposing to 
complement implementation of RCS-I.
    We have received an inquiry from professional associations and 
national industry organizations regarding the 60-day comment period for 
the ANPRM. These organizations stated that by providing all 
stakeholders additional time to review and comment upon the ANPRM, they 
will be able to conduct a more comprehensive review of the refinements 
we are considering to the SNF PPS payment methodology and provide more 
meaningful comments. In order to maximize the opportunity for the 
public to provide meaningful input to CMS, we believe that it is 
important to allow additional time for the public to prepare comments 
on the ANPRM. In addition, we believe that granting an extension to the 
public comment period in this instance would further our overall 
objective to obtain public input on the potential refinements to the 
SNF PPS we are considering. Therefore, we are extending the comment 
period for the ANPRM for an additional 60 days. This document announces 
the extension of the public comment period for the ANPRM until August 
25, 2017.

    Dated: June 7, 2017.
Seema Verma,
Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
[FR Doc. 2017-12324 Filed 6-13-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4120-01-P