The Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) met Oct. 5 to discuss a variety of policy issues, including updates to the Medicare payment rates for clinician services under the Physician Fee Schedule (PFS), staffing ratios and turnover in nursing facilities, and the prices of generic drugs under Medicare Part D.
In the morning session, MedPAC commissioners considered whether there is a need for reforms to the method used to annually update payment rates under the PFS. In the afternoon session, the commission examined staffing ratios and turnover rates in skilled nursing facilities (SNF). As next steps on this topic, MedPAC plans to include an analysis of staffing data in their chapter of SNF payment adequacy in their March 2024 report and an informational chapter with an updated staffing analysis in their June 2024 report. In its last session of the day, the commission discussed a work plan for the analysis of generic drug prices under Medicare Part D. Findings from these projects will be reported at a future MedPAC meeting.