Nursing home provider assessment approved

Lawmakers gave final approval April 20 to a bill that institutes a provider assessment on Nebraska nursing facilities.

LB600, introduced by Lincoln Sen. Kathy Campbell, adopts the Nursing Facility Quality Assurance Assessment Act.

Under the bill, nursing facilities will pay an assessment to the state of $3.50 per day for Medicaid and private pay patients, which then will be reimbursed to facilities through a federal match.

The bill also requires the state Department of Health and Human Services to submit an amendment to Nebraska’s Medicaid state plan to include the act.

HHS will charge a reasonable administrative fee for enforcing and collecting the assessment and require a penalty of 1.5 percent of the assessment owed for each month that a payment is overdue.

LB600 passed 44-1.