Quality Assurance Fee (QAF)
The Quality Assurance Fee (QAF) collections are being administered by the QAF Program in the Third Party Liability and Recovery Division. The QAF is a fee that is imposed on skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care facilities as outlined in Assembly Bill (AB) 1629, Health and Safety Code, Section 1324.20 through 1324.30 and Health and Safety Code, Section 1324 through 1324.14. The purpose of this program is to provide additional reimbursement for, and to support quality improvement efforts in, licensed skilled nursing facilities.
Regulations: Health and Safety Code, Section 1324 through 1324.14 and 1324.20 through 1324.30
Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNF)
The skilled nursing facility fee is part of AB 1629 which enacted the Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Assurance Fee (QAF) Program and the Medi-Cal Long Term Care Reimbursement Act. This assembly bill modified the method and rate of reimbursement to facilities for providing long term care skilled nursing services to Medi-Cal beneficiaries. The QAF is based on an annual rate, multiplied by the number of occupied beds per day each month. The QAF fees are required for Freestanding Skilled Nursing Facility Level-Bs (FS/NF-B) and Freestanding Skilled Adult Subacute Nursing Facilities (FSSA/NF-B), except those that are exempt from the quality assurance fee under Health and Safety Code, Section 1324.20(b).
Each skilled nursing facility required to pay the QAF, shall pay the QAF to the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) on a monthly basis. The QAF payment is due on or before the last day of the month following the month in which the fee is imposed.
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QAF SNF Payment Invoices, second quarter, November - January 2008-09, each containing an annual rate, can be obtained at the following link:
QAF SNF 2nd Quarter Payment Inovices 2008-09.pdf
QAF SNF Payment Invoices, first quarter, August - October 2008-09, each containing an annual rate, can be obtained at the following link:
QAF SNF 1st Quarter Payment Invoices 2008-09.pdf
QAF SNF Payment Invoices, fourth quarter, May - July 2008, each containing an annual rate, can be obtained at the following link:
QAF SNF 4th Quarter Payment Invoices 2007-08.pdf
Please make sure to enter your facility name, address, provider number, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) number, and National Provider Identification (NPI) number (where applicable) so that your payment will be credited to the correct account.
Intermediate Care Facility-Developmentally Disabled (ICF-DD)
The Intermediate Care Facility – Developmentally Disabled (ICF-DD) program is governed by the California Health and Safety Code, Sections 1324 through 1324.14. These provisions require the California Department of Health Care Services to impose a quality assurance fee on the entire gross receipts for each Intermediate Care Facility for the Developmentally Disabled (ICF-DD), Habilitative (ICF-DD-H), and Nursing (ICF-DD-N.) For the purposes of this program, the term “gross receipts” is defined as compensation for services provided to residents of a designated ICF, not including the following:
1. Return of any amounts to the payer as a result of overpayments
2. Bad debts
3. Vendor rebates received by the facility
4. Charitable contributions received by the facility
As a condition for the ICF’s to participate in the Medi-Cal program, payments to the DHCS must be made on or before the last day of each calendar quarter, following the calendar quarter for which the fee is imposed. The DHCS has the discretion to make retroactive adjustments as necessary to ensure that the fees collected do not exceed the 5.5 percent.
ICF-DD Payment Invoices can be obtained at the following links:
QAF ICF 1st Quarter Invoice 2007-08.pdf
QAF ICF 2nd Quarter Invoice 2007-08.pdf
QAF ICF 3rd Quarter Invoice 2007-08.pdf
QAF ICF 4th Quarter Invoice 2007-08.pdf
Please make sure to enter your facility name, address, provider number, Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) number, and National Provider Identification (NPI) number (where applicable) so that your payment will be credited to the correct account.
Provider bulletins and rates information can be obtained at the following link:
Long Term Care Reimbursement
Any questions about the QAF payments should be directed to:
Department of Health Care Services
Third Party Liability & Recovery Division
Quality Assurance Fee Program - MS 4720
P.O. Box 997425
Sacramento, CA 95889-7425
Telephone (916) 650-0490
Facsimile (916) 650-6581 Back to Top