SOCIAL AND HEALTH SERVICES
MEDICAID PAYMENT RATE METHODOLOGY
In the 2009-2011 final operating budget (section 1106, chapter 564, Laws of 2009), which was signed into law by the governor on May 19, 2009, the Washington state legislature specified the weighted average nursing facility payment rate shall not exceed $159.34 for state fiscal year (SFY) 2008 and shall not exceed $164.85 for SFY 2009.
The proposed change was the subject of WSR 09-12-073 that was published on June 17, 2009, and can be accessed at http://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/law/wsr/2009/12/09-12-073.htm.
Having received no comments on the proposed changes, the department is publishing the final notice of the changes used to determine the June 1, 2009, medicaid nursing home payment rate.
CHANGES TO THE MEDICAID NURSING FACILITY RATE METHODOLOGY: To implement the weighted average nursing facility payment rate of $164.85, the department calculated a new rate for the month of June 2009. The department established a "restoration adjustment" factor of 7.8681% to calculate the June 1, 2009, rates. The June 1, 2009, rate will be in effect for June 2009 only. For SFY 2010, beginning July 1, 2009, the department will rebase the nursing facility medicaid payment rates.
The final estimated statewide average nursing facility medicaid payment rate per resident day, for June of SFY 2009 is $164.85.