Therapy Staffing in Skilled Nursing Facilities Declined After Implementation of the Patient-driven Payment Model
The Patient-Driven Payment Model (PDPM) is a new reimbursement policy for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) that was implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in 2019. PDPM disincentivizes provision of intensive physical and occupational therapy, which has caused concerns that declines in therapy staffing may negatively impact patient outcomes. Therapy staff includes physical…