State-imposed limits on Medicaid reimbursement for nursing facility care.
OBJECTIVE
Nursing cost-center limits were examined, along with their effects on Medicaid.


METHODS
A national survey of Medicaid nursing facility reimbursement provided data on cost centers for nursing, administration, and capital, whether in specific, larger, or multiple cost centers.


RESULTS
Most states impose nursing and administration limits. Far fewer states impose capital limits, but only capital limits may be related to constraint of reimbursement rates.


CONCLUSIONS
Shifting toward limiting capital costs, or simply eliminating cost-center limits, might accommodate cost control while removing negative constraints on direct resident care.
Swan
J H
JH
Department of Public Health Sciences, Wichita State University, KS 67260-0043, USA.
Harrington
C
C
de Wit
S K
SK
Zhong
M
M
D003361:Cost Allocation; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D008484:Medicaid / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000191:economics*; D011907:Rate Setting and Review / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012051:Reimbursement Mechanisms; D013219:State Government; D014481:United States