12VAC30-70-391: Recalibration and rebasing policy

A. The department recognizes that claims experience or modifications in federal policies may require adjustment to the DRG payment system policies provided in this part. The state agency shall recalibrate (evaluate and adjust the DRG relative weights and hospital case-mix indices) and rebase (review and update the base year standardized operating costs per case and the base year standardized operating costs per day) the DRG payment system at least every three years. Recalibration and rebasing shall be done in consultation with the Medicaid Hospital Payment Policy Advisory Council noted in 12VAC30-70-490. When rebasing is carried out, if new rates are not calculated before their required effective date, hospitals required to file cost reports and freestanding psychiatric facilities licensed as hospitals shall be settled at the new rates, for discharges on and after the effective date of those rates, at the time the hospitals' cost reports for the year in which the rates become effective are settled.

B. Effective July 1, 2009, rates for freestanding psychiatric facilities shall be rebased using 2005 cost data as the base year. Future rebasings shall be consistent with rebasing for all other hospitals.

C. Effective July 1, 2010, rates for freestanding psychiatric facilities shall not be rebased.