The bill proposes amendments to Section 40-8-19 of the General Laws, specifically revising the payment rates for nursing facilities under Medicaid. It introduces a price-based payment methodology that considers patient acuity and Medicaid occupancy, and includes various components such as direct-care and indirect-care rates, a fair-rental value system, and adjustments based on a national nursing home inflation index. The bill mandates that rate increases be used primarily to enhance compensation for direct-care workers and requires facilities to submit annual compliance certifications. It also inserts a provision for a 20% increase in the daily per diem rates for single occupancy rooms with private bathrooms and stipulates that 80% of any rate increase from the inflation index be allocated to raising compensation for direct-care workers.

The bill further details the consequences for non-compliance with the certification terms, including a 25% penalty on funds not properly utilized. It outlines a transition plan to ensure that facilities do not receive less reimbursement for direct-care costs than previously, with provisions for adjustments to per diem rates and potential modifications for quality of care improvements. The bill is designed to update the legal framework for nursing facility payments and is set to take effect immediately upon passage, with specific deletions and insertions to the current law to reflect these changes.

Statutes affected:
2566: 40-8-19