Reminder: MDHHS Non-Available Bed Policy Treatment of COVID-19 Residents (SNF)

MDHHS Health and Aging Services Administration (HASA) released on February 11 an update (HASA 22-04) to the nursing facility non-available bed policy related to treating COVID residents. The policy allows a facility to use a bed in the non-available bed plan (NABP) for the facility to treat a COVID resident without negating the existing bed plan. The facility must track beds used and report on the COVID-19 Beds Returned to Service log. The log will be available in the Administrator’s Area of File Transfer and must be submitted every three months. This policy is a follow-up to the MSA 21-43 policy regarding establishing a non-available bed plan.

The NABP policy allows the facility to take beds temporarily out of service for a period of time (6 months) thus reducing the available beds. The reduced number of beds assists the facility in meeting the occupancy requirement which if not adjusted can impact your Medicaid rate.

Here’s the most recent policy update from HASA 22-04 on the NABP which offers more flexibility:

Returning Beds to Service to Treat COVID-19-Postive Residents

Nursing facilities with non-available bed plans may return beds to service to treat COVID-19-positive residents. Returning a bed to service to treat COVID-19-positive residents will not negate the non-available bed plan.

When a provider returns a bed to service to treat a COVID-19-positive resident, the bed will be returned to service for the duration of the resident’s COVID-19 treatment. During this time, the bed will be included in the facility’s occupancy calculations. Once the COVID-19-positive resident has completed treatment and has been discharged, the bed will resume a non-available bed designation and be removed from the facility’s occupancy calculations.

Providers must maintain a COVID-19 Beds Returned to Service log. This log has been made available to providers in the Administrator’s Area of File Transfer, and must be submitted every three months.

Returning Beds to Service for Reasons Not Related to COVID-19

In accordance with MSA 20-16, nursing facilities with a non-available bed plan may return beds to service without prior approval from MDHHS Long Term Care Reimbursement and Rate Setting Section (RARRS). The provider must notify MDHHS RARRS in writing within 30 days of the use of non-available beds. Returning beds to service for reasons not related to COVID-19 will negate the non-available bed plan.

Questions about these policies can be sent to Pat at patanderson@hcam.org.