Medicare Skilled Nursing and Home Health Services Continuity of Care Act of 2015

Medicare Skilled Nursing and Home Health Services Continuity of Care Act of 2015

This bill declares that its purpose is to ensure beneficiary access to advance wound care products while in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or while on a home health plan of care by allowing separate payment to be made for advanced surgical dressings under part B of title XVIII (Medicare) of the Social Security Act as a durable medical equipment prosthetics, orthotics, and supplies benefit.

To this end advanced surgical dressings are excluded from covered SNF services if delivered to a SNF patient for use during the SNF stay. Such dressings are included, however, as home health services.

The Secretary of Health and Human Services is required to: (1) provide for the submission and processing of claims for advanced surgical dressings for payment under Medicare part B (Supplementary Medical Insurance) by the same Medicare administrative contractors that process claims for other durable medical equipment; and (2) establish an education incentive program to encourage each nursing facility, SNF, or home health agency certified under SSAct title XVIII or XIX (Medicaid) to provide their clinical staff members annually with access to wound care education.