HHSC: Proposed $353.1303, Quality Incentive Payment Program for Nursing Facilities (QIPP)

Hearing. The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) conducted a public hearing to receive public comment on proposed Medicaid rules for §353.1303, Quality Incentive Payment Program for Nursing Facilities. The hearing [was] held in compliance with Texas Human Resources Code §32.0282, which requires public notice of and hearings on proposed Medicaid reimbursements. Background. [Document Pg. 5] The amendment would delete the good cause exception to the geographic proximity criterion in the Quality Incentive Payment Program (QIPP) rule. The rule was drafted to avoid possible deferrals and disallowances by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), as it closely monitors state funding arrangements that involve intergovernmental transfers (IGTs), especially in instances when a nursing facility (NF) is outside the effective reach of the owner's location. Use of the good cause exception for the sole purpose of enhancing Federal funding potentially jeopardizes the int