The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services has issued a new provider letter to nursing facility administrators and hospice directors about new per diem rates. You may download the letter here (PDF).
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has raised per diem rates for the Nursing Facility Program, the Hospice Program in Nursing Facilities, and the Swing Bed Program. The changes went into effect on January 1, 2006. The new rates can be found here.
Swing Bed and other providers who don’t participate in the Enhanced Direct Care Staff Rate will not have an enhanced payment rate option. Providers who are participants but fail to maintain required staffing levels will face recoupment. Additionally, participating providers must spend at least 85 hours of “direct care staff revenues on direct care compensation or the difference between 85 percent of direct care staff revenues and direct care staff compensation costs is recouped by the state.”
The letter also contains information about liability insurance add-on payment rates, hospice-nursing facility payment rates, and claims submissions.