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Advising the Congress on Medicare issues
MedPAC > Recommendations

Commission Recommendations

MedPAC makes recommendations to the Congress and to the Secretary of Health and Human Services on issues affecting the administration of the Medicare program. With its recommendations, the Commission strives to improve the delivery of care, while ensuring financial stability and maximizing value for the program. After extensive analysis and evaluation, our recommendations are discussed and voted on by Commissioners in our public meetings. Recommendations are typically published in two main reports, released in March and June of each year.

Recommendations Topic(s) Publication

Inpatient rehabilitation facility services

The update to the payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facility services should be eliminated for fiscal year 2009.

  • Post-acute care

March 2008 - Chapter 2F

Long-term care hospital services

The Secretary should update payment rates for long-term care hospitals for rate year 2009 by the projected rate of increase in the rehabilitation, psychiatric, and long-term care hospital market basket index less the Commission’s adjustment for productivity growth.

  • Post-acute care

March 2008 - Chapter 2G

Skilled nursing facility services (1)

The Congress should eliminate the update to payment rates for skilled nursing facility services for fiscal year 2009.

  • Post-acute care

March 2008 - Chapter 2D

Skilled nursing facility services (2)

The Congress should establish a quality incentive payment policy for skilled nursing facilities in Medicare.

  • Delivery system reforms
  • Post-acute care
  • Quality

March 2008 - Chapter 2D

Skilled nursing facility services (3)

To improve quality measurement for skilled nursing facilities, the Secretary should: * Add the risk-adjusted rates of potentially avoidable rehospitalizations and community discharge to its publicly reported post-acute care quality measures; * Revise the pain, pressure ulcer, and delirium measures currently report on CMS’s Nursing Home Compare website; and * Require skilled nursing facilities to… Read more »

  • Post-acute care
  • Quality

March 2008 - Chapter 2D

Home health services

The Congress should eliminate the update to payment rates for home health care services for calendar year 2008.

  • Post-acute care

March 2007 - Chapter 3B

Inpatient rehabilitation facility services

The Congress should update payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation services by 1 percent for fiscal year 2008.

  • Post-acute care

March 2007 - Chapter 3C

Long-term care hospital services

The Secretary should eliminate the update to payment rates for long-term care hospital services for rate year 2008.

  • Post-acute care

March 2007 - Chapter 3D

Skilled nursing facility services

The Congress should eliminate the update to payment rates for skilled nursing facility services for fiscal year 2008.

  • Post-acute care

March 2007 - Chapter 3A

Home health services

The Congress should eliminate the update to payment rates for home health care services for calendar year 2007.

  • Post-acute care

March 2006 - Chapter 4B