Non-Sub Change justification

Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI)

Non-Substantive Change Request Justification

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is requesting a non-substantive change request in response to the delay in the implementation of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility-Patient Assessment Instrument (IRF-PAI) Version 4.0. This delay is a result of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). In response to the PHE, per 85 FR 27550 CMS provided relief to the providers by delaying the implementation of IRF PAI V4.0.

On November 2, 2021 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule (86 FR 62240) which finalized proposed modifications to the effective date for reporting measures and certain standardized patient assessment data in the Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Quality Reporting Program (IRF QRP). Per the final rule CMS will require IRFs to start collecting assessment data using IRF-PAI Version 4.0 beginning October 1, 2022. The rule is available here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/11/09/2021-23993/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-cy-2022-home-health-prospective-payment-system-rate-update-home

CMS informed the provider community with the publication of the final rule noted above and with an announcement on IRF QRP webpage on November 2, 2021. A reference to the announcement can be found on the IRF QRP webpage located here

https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/IRF-Quality-Reporting/Spotlights-Announcements

CMS is asking for approval for the previously approved IRF-PAI V4.0 which was approved on December 23, 2019.