LeadingAge NY Comments on Changes to Nursing Home Quality Pool

In a June 17 letter to the Department of Health (DOH), LeadingAge New York commented on proposed changes to the Nursing Home Quality Initiative (NHQI) for 2015, which would include: (1) revised measures for staffing hours, antipsychotic use and avoidable hospitalizations; (2) a new staff turnover measure; (3) new rules for facilities with “small” sample sizes; and (4) a new scoring method for pneumococcal immunizations.

Our comments expressed general support for many of the proposed changes but raised specific questions and concerns on staffing hours reporting, the proposed turnover measure and the avoidable hospital use measure. We also raised broader concerns about delays in finalizing the methodology and making the associated payment adjustments, and once again urged DOH to identify an alternate funding source for the $50 million NHQI program rather than making further across-the-board reductions to facilities’ Medicaid rates. We extend thanks to the LeadingAge NY Nursing Facility Cabinet for providing feedback on the DOH proposal.  

Contact: Dan Heim, dheim@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8866