Public Notice of Proposed Action for Setting Payment Rates for Long-term Care Facility Services

Public Notice of Proposed Action for Setting Payment Rates for Long-term Care Facility Services

The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), pursuant to the requirements of Section 1902(a)(13)(A) of the Social Security Act, gives notice of the following proposed actions regarding its methods and standards for setting payment rates for long-term care facility services (excluding state-owned nursing facilities) under the South Carolina Medicaid State Plan (State Plan) under Title XIX of the Social Security Act Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid).

Effective for services provided on or after Oct. 1, 2026, SCDHHS proposes to amend the South Carolina Title XIX reimbursement methodology for long term care by:

1. Providing payments to nursing facilities based on the most recent cost report data available (i.e., fiscal year ending [FYE] Sept. 30, 2025).
2. Applying the cost center standards using the most recent cost report data available (i.e., FYE Sept. 30, 2025) determining the general services standards at 105% of the mean and laundry, housekeeping and maintenance standards at 105% of mean.
3. Applying a 1.70% inflation factor in the calculation of the Oct. 1, 2026, payment rates.
4. Increasing the square footage allowance used for capital cost reimbursement purposes from $274.71 to $278.39 in accordance with the annual change reflected in the RS Means Construction Cost Data Publication.

The minimum occupancy factor used to determine individual Medicaid reimbursement rates effective Oct. 1, 2026, is 90%. The cost of capital reimbursement calculation remains at 90% minimum occupancy level. The cost center standard for rates effective Oct. 1, 2026, is at 90% occupancy.

The skilled percent used in establishing each nursing facility's Oct. 1, 2026, Medicaid reimbursement rate will be based on the state fiscal year 2026 Medicaid paid days.

SCDHHS projects that based upon the proposed actions, annual aggregate expenditures will increase by approximately $51 million total dollars including Medicaid days paid while the recipient is under the hospice benefit.

Copies of this notice are available at each SCDHHS Healthy Connections Medicaid office and at www.scdhhs.gov for public review. Additional information concerning the proposed actions is available upon request at the address cited below.

Written comments may be sent to the SCDHHS, Division of Long-Term Care Reimbursements, Post Office Box 8206, Columbia, S.C. 29202-8206. Comments may also be submitted to [email protected]. All comments must be received by Aug. 22, 2026.

Any written comments submitted may be reviewed by the public at the SCDHHS, Division of Long-Term Care Reimbursements, Room 1216, 1801 Main Street, Columbia, S.C., Monday through Friday between 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Notice of Non-Discrimination
The South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) complies with applicable federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex. SCDHHS does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

SCDHHS provides free aids and services to people with disabilities, such as qualified sign language interpreters and written information in other formats (large print, braille, audio, accessible electronic formats, other formats). We provide free language services to people whose primary language is not English, such as qualified interpreters and information written in other languages. If you need these services, please contact the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)/Civil Rights Official by mail at: PO Box 8206, Columbia, SC 29202-8206, by phone at: 1-888-549-0820 (TTY: 1-888-842-3620), or by email at: [email protected].

If you believe SCDHHS has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex, you can file a grievance with the Civil Rights Official using the contact information provided above. You can file a grievance in person, by mail, or via email. If you need help filing a grievance, we are available to help you.

You can also file a civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, electronically through the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Portal, available at https://ocrportal.hhs.gov/ocr/portal/lobby.jsf or by mail or phone at: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 200 Independence Avenue, SW, Room 509F, HHH Building, Washington, D.C. 20201 or by phone at: 800-368- 1019, 800-537-7697 (TDD). Complaint forms are available at http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/office/file/index.html.

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