The White House lends its support to expanding value-based purchasing in skilled nursing facilities, including adding staffing measures to the program.

The article discusses a bill in Illinois that aims to reform the state's Medicaid reimbursement system for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The bill, which is being monitored by analysts at Mizuho Securities USA, could potentially impact the patient-driven payment model (PDPM) and introduce bundled payments.

The Illinois bill differs from President Biden's call to expand value-based payment (VBP) measures in that it includes a funding mechanism. A tax tied to the bill would generate around $500 million for increased Medicaid reimbursements. The bill combines funding and paying for performance together, which is seen as a key aspect of its potential success.

The Illinois Health Care Association (IHCA) has been working on aspects of the bill for about six years and has been collaborating with the state on different iterations of the bill for two years. The association's executive director, Matt Hartman, expressed optimism that the legislature would pass the bill by April 8.Other stakeholders, including LeadingAge Illinois, have also expressed support for the bill. Angela Schnef, president and CEO of LeadingAge Illinois, noted that the initial bill had almost doubled the amount of money coming into the state to help those on Medicaid.

The article highlights the potential risks associated with changes to the payment model, including the possibility of re-introducing bundled payments. However, it also notes that the Illinois bill's combination of funding and paying for performance could be a key factor in its success.

Overall, the article suggests that the Illinois bill is an important development in the ongoing efforts to reform Medicaid reimbursement systems for SNFs, and that its outcome will be closely watched by industry stakeholders.