Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities; Updates to the Quality Reporting Program for Federal Fiscal Year 2026

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

This proposed rule would change and update policies and payment rates used under the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Prospective Payment System (PPS) for FY 2026. This rulemaking also proposes to update the requirements for the SNF Quality Reporting Program and the SNF Value-Based Purchasing Program.

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, by June 30, 2025.

In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-1827-P.

Comments, including mass comment submissions, must be submitted in one of the following three ways (please choose only one of the ways listed):

1. Electronically. You may submit electronic comments on this regulation to http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the “Submit a comment” instructions.

2. By regular mail. You may mail written comments to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1827-P, P.O. Box 8016, Baltimore, MD 21244-8016.

Please allow sufficient time for mailed comments to be received before the close of the comment period.

3. By express or overnight mail. You may send written comments to the following address ONLY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: CMS-1827-P, Mail Stop C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard, Baltimore, MD 21244-1850.

For information on viewing public comments, see the beginning of the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section.