Southwest Consulting Associates Blog

CMS posted the FFY 2017 SSI ratios to their website.  The FFY 2017 SSI ratio file (DSH Adjustment and 2016-2017 File [ZIP, 246KB]) can be found in the Downloads section of CMS' Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) webpage or by following the link below:

CMS just posted the FFY 2016 SSI ratios to their website.  The FFY 2016 SSI ratio file (DSH Adjustment and 2015-2016 File [ZIP, 248KB]) can be found in the Downloads section of CMS' Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) webpage or by following the link below:

On July 7, 2017, CMS posted the FFY 2015 SSI ratios to their website.  The FFY 2015 SSI ratios should be used for computing the Disproportionate Share Hospital payment for cost reporting periods beginning on or after October 1, 2014, and before October 1, 2015.  The FFY 2015 SSI ratio file (DSH Adjustment and 2014-2015 File [ZIP, 266KB]) can be found in the Downloads section of CMS' Disproportionate Share Hospital (DSH) webpage or by following the link below:

As discussed in a previous blog, a hospital’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) percentage is a primary component of Medicare Disproportionate Share reimbursement and plays a significant role in determining the reimbursement impact.  Also referred to as the “Medicare” fraction of the Medicare DSH calculation, the SSI ratio represents the percent of patient days for beneficiaries who are eligible for both Medicare Part A and SSI.  By default, SSI ratios are based on the Federal Fiscal year end (10/01 – 09/30) and are generally published annually by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  Current CMS regulations allow for a hospital to request to have its Medicare fraction or SSI ratio recalculated based on the hospital’s cost reporting period where different from the Federal fiscal year, however, a hospital may be hesitant to request due to common misconceptions surrounding SSI recalculations.  Here are four we commonly hear:

As discussed in a previous blog, a hospital’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) percentage is a primary component of Medicare Disproportionate Share (DSH) reimbursement and plays a significant role in determining the reimbursement impact.  Also referred to as the “Medicare” fraction of the Medicare DSH calculation, the SSI ratio represents the percent of patient days for beneficiaries who are eligible for both Medicare Part A and SSI.  By default, SSI ratios are based on the Federal Fiscal year end (10/01 – 09/30) and are generally published annually by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  Current CMS regulations allow for a hospital to request to have its SSI ratio recalculated based on the hospital’s cost reporting period where different from the Federal fiscal year.  But how do you determine if your hospital would benefit from a recalculation?

As a primary component of Medicare Disproportionate Share reimbursement, a hospital’s Supplemental Security Income (SSI) percentage plays a significant role in determining the reimbursement impact.  Also referred to as the “Medicare” fraction of the Medicare DSH calculation, the SSI ratio represents the percent of patient days for beneficiaries who are eligible for both Medicare Part A and SSI.  By default, SSI ratios are based on the Federal Fiscal year end (10/01 – 09/30) and are generally published annually by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).  This concept makes sense for providers whose cost reporting period mirrors the federal fiscal year, but what about providers with cost reporting periods that differ from the Federal fiscal year?