DHS recently posted 2021 calendar year Medicaid rate notices for almost all care centers in the Nursing Facility Provider Portal. These rates are based on the cost reports for the year ended September 30, 2019 and will not reflect any COVID-19 related cost increases.

For care centers who received a rate notice by Dec. 1, they are required to notify their private pay residents of the Jan. 1 increase by no later than Dec. 16. According to the law, that notice should include the exact amount of the increase that the client can expect based on their case mix class. Providers should be aware that for a number of reasons – bed layaways, PIPP contracts, audit adjustments – their rates may change again prior to or even after Jan. 1, so they should be watching the portal for updated notices.