This document is scheduled to be published in the

Federal Register on 10/03/2013 and available online at

http://federalregister.gov/a/2013-24080, and on FDsys.gov

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 

42 CFR Parts 413 and 424 

[CMS-1446-CN] 

RIN 0938-AR65 

Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for 

Skilled Nursing Facilities for FY 2014; Correction 

AGENCY: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS. 

ACTION: Final rule; correction. 

SUMMARY: This document corrects technical errors that appeared in the final rule 

published in the August 6, 2013, Federal Register entitled "Medicare Program; 

Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities for 

FY 2014." 

DATES: These corrections are effective October 1, 2013.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Kane, (410) 786-0557. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background 

In FR Doc. 2013-18776 of August 6, 2013 (78 FR 47936), there were a number of 

technical errors that are identified and corrected in the Correction of Errors section 

below. The provisions in this correction document are effective as if they had been 

included in FR Doc. 2013-18776 published August 6, 2013, hereinafter referred to as the 

FY 2014 SNF PPS final rule. Accordingly, the corrections are effective October 1, 2013. 

II. Summary of Errors 

A. Summary of Errors in the Preamble
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On page 47958, in our discussion of consolidated billing, a citation to the 

Medicare Claims Processing Manual (CMS Publication 100-04) was inadvertently 

abbreviated incorrectly. 

On page 47963, in our discussion of ensuring accuracy in grouping to 

rehabilitation RUG-IV categories, a citation to the Medicare Benefit Policy Manual 

(CMS Publication 100-02) was inadvertently abbreviated incorrectly. 

B. Summary of Errors in the Addenda

On pages 47969 through 47975, in Table A: FY 2014 Wage Index for Urban 

Areas Based on CBSA Labor Market Areas, we inadvertently included several incorrect 

urban area titles for certain core-based statistical areas (CBSAs). As the result of 

receiving a corrected hospital cost report file, we also determined that we had 

inadvertently used incorrect wage data in calculating the wage index value for CBSA 

30780 (Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway AR), producing an incorrect wage index 

value for this CBSA. 

III. Waiver of Proposed Rulemaking and Delayed Effective Date 

We ordinarily publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register to 

provide a period for public comment before the provisions of a rule take effect in 

accordance with section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) (5 U.S.C. 

553(b)). However, we can waive this notice and comment procedure if the Secretary 

finds, for good cause, that the notice and comment process is impracticable, unnecessary, 

or contrary to the public interest, and incorporates a statement of the finding and the 

reasons therefore in the notice. 

Section 553(d) of the APA ordinarily requires a 30-day delay in effective date of 
 3 

final rules after the date of their publication in the Federal Register. This 30-day delay 

in effective date can be waived, however, if an agency finds for good cause that the delay 

is impracticable, unnecessary, or contrary to the public interest, and the agency 

incorporates a statement of the findings and its reasons in the rule issued. 

We find for good cause that it is unnecessary to undertake notice and comment 

rulemaking because this document merely provides technical corrections to the FY 2014 

SNF PPS final rule in the preamble and addenda. We are not making substantive 

changes to our payment methodologies or policies, but rather, are simply implementing 

correctly the payment methodologies and policies that we previously proposed, received 

comment on, and subsequently finalized. This correction document is intended solely to 

ensure that the FY 2014 SNF PPS final rule accurately reflects these payment 

methodologies and policies. Therefore, we believe that undertaking further notice and 

comment rulemaking activity in connection with it would be unnecessary and contrary to 

the public interest. 

Further, we believe a delayed effective date is unnecessary because this correction 

document merely corrects inadvertent technical errors. The corrections noted above do 

not make any substantive changes to the SNF PPS payment methodologies or policies. 

Moreover, we regard imposing a delay in the effective date as being contrary to the 

public interest. We believe that it is in the public interest for providers to receive 

appropriate SNF PPS payments in as timely a manner as possible and to ensure that the 

FY 2014 SNF PPS final rule accurately reflects our payment methodologies, payment 

rates, and policies. Therefore, we find good cause to waive notice and comment 

procedures, as well as the 30-day delay in effective date. 
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Correction of Errors 

In FR Doc. 2013-18776 of August 6, 2013 (78 FR 47936), make the following 

corrections: 

A. Corrections to the Preamble 

1. On page 47958, third column, first paragraph, lines 30 and 31, the 

parenthetical citation “(see Pub. L. 100-04, ch. 6, §20.4)” is corrected to read “(see Pub. 

100-04, ch. 6, §20.4)”. 

2. On page 47963, first column, third full paragraph, lines 10 and 11, the 

parenthetical citation “(see Pub. L. 100-02, ch. 8, § 30.6)” is corrected to read “(see Pub. 

100-02, ch. 8, sec. 30.6)”. 

B. Corrections to the Addendum 

1. On pages 47969 through 47975 in Table A--FY 2014 Wage Index for Urban 

Areas Based on CBSA Labor Market Areas, 

a. The urban areas for the listed entries (CBSAs) are corrected to read as 

follows: 

CBSA Code Urban area (constituent counties) Wage Index 

12420 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX 0.9576

12540 Bakersfield-Delano, CA 1.1579

13644 Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD 1.0319

16740 Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC 0.9447

22744 Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach-Deerfield, FL 1.0378
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b. The wage index for the listed entry (CBSA 30780) is corrected to read as 

follows: 

CBSA Code Urban area (constituent counties) Wage Index 

30780 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR 0.8632

c. The urban areas for the listed entries (CBSAs) are corrected to read as follows: 

CBSA Code Urban area (constituent counties) Wage Index 

36740 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL 0.9063 

38900 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA 1.1766 

41700 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX 0.8911 
(Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Program No. 93.773, Medicare--Hospital 

Insurance; and Program No. 93.774, Medicare--Supplementary Medical Insurance 

Program) 

Dated: September 27, 2013 

________________________ 

Jennifer M. Cannistra,

Executive Secretary to the 

Department,

Department of Health and Human 

Services. 

BILLING CODE 4120-01-P 

[FR Doc. 2013-24080 Filed 09/30/2013 at 4:15 pm; Publication Date: 10/03/2013]