The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced that payment rates for nursing homes will increase by $780 million next year. (Source)
The payment increase (3.4 percent) is the result of a recalibration of the annual market basket calculation. CMS acting administrator Kerry Weems said CMS was “committed to providing high quality care to those in skilled nursing facilities and to paying those facilities properly for that care” and assures that CMS will continue evaluating the data for future adjustments.
In other Medicare news, CMS reports that costs for Medicare Part D are lower than expected. The average monthly premium for Part D will be $28 in 2009, about 37 percent lower than projected when Part D was established in 2003. (Source)
CMS reports that beneficiaries are satisfied with the program. A survey conducted by Harris Interactive also found that a majority of beneficiaries were satisfied with the program.
