Skilled Nursing Facility Workforce and Quality Incentive Program
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Directed Payments
The Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Workforce & Quality Incentive Program (WQIP) incentivizes facilities to improve quality of care, advance equity in healthcare outcomes, and invest in workforce. SNF WQIP functions as a directed payment program in Medi-Cal Managed Care delivery system for eligible network providers. SNF WQIP is authorized by Welfare & Institutions Code Section 14126.024 (added by Assembly Bill (AB)186 (Chapter 46, Statutes of 2022)) for dates of service January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2026. SNF WQIP succeeds the former SNF Quality and Accountability Supplemental Payment (QASP) program.
For additional information regarding other Nursing Facility Financing Reform programs authorized by AB 186, please see Nursing Facility Financing Reform AB 186.
Important Updates
DHCS will post important updates as they become available.
SNF WQIP Interim Payment for PY 2 (2024) is delayed. DHCS notified SNF interest holders that the SNF WQIP Interim Payment for PY2 (2024) is delayed via ListServ on March 28. 2025.
DHCS and its contractor, Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), utilize the Minimum Data Set (MDS) through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for SNF WQIP. Recently, CMS removed HSAG’s access to MDS data. DHCS and HSAG immediately started the process to obtain access to the MDS data via a different method.
The work with CMS to obtain MDS data continues, but the process is taking longer than expected due to multiple factors outside of DHCS's control. Given this, the SNF WQIP PY2 (2024) Interim Payment will be delayed until at least the end of April 2025. The Interim Payment report would have been released in March 2025. Updates will be provided as soon as possible.
SNF WQIP PY2 (2024) Qualifying List Spreadsheet includes the SNF WQIP qualifying facilities and the attributable National Provider Identifiers (NPIs), Health Care Access Information (HCAI) Identification (ID) for PY2 (2024). Updates on this list were due to the SNF WQIP Inbox at SNFWQIP@DHCS.ca.gov by January 24, 2025.
The most recent NewsFlash and archived NewsFlash published on the News area of the Medi-Cal website are linked below.
Archived NewsFlashes includes additional past NewsFlash articles that can be referenced, if needed.
Payment Reports includes reports relating to SNF WQIP payment, such as the CY2023 WQIP Final Payment Report, CY2023 SNF WQIP Interim Payment Report, and the CY2023 SNF WQIP Days Summary SNF WQIP Qualifying Facilities List. Listed by report name and date issued. Also included are measurement period, Program Year (PY) impacted, and details and direction concerning each report.
Please refer to the CalHHS Open Data Portal for the SNF WQIP Quarterly Performance Report and respective performance period ranges.
Pursuant to DHCS's Data De-identification Guidelines, DHCS is not able to publicly release any member-level rates that have a denominator less than 11. In the attached report, any rates with a denominator less than 11 are not shown for privacy reasons (i.e. to prevent the identification of individual member's data). This is called "suppression" for privacy reasons. The suppression of these rates does not affect a facility's ability to get payment for performance in SNF WQIP. Calculation of performance for payment will be based on the methodology in the SNF WQIP Technical Program Guide.
Program Authorities
Program Authorities from 2023 to the current date. Listed by issue date and title (subject).
WQIP Webinars
Next Meeting:
To be announced
Meeting Tips:
How To Raise Hand During a Meeting
Raise your hand in a Teams meeting - Microsoft Support
To Join by Telephone (audio-only)
Please call (279) 895-6425 and enter phone conference ID: 186 957 983#
To request to speak during the public comment period, please press *5.
WQIP Webinars includes past WQIP specific presentation materials. Future SNF stakeholder webinars are forthcoming and will provide an opportunity for stakeholder input.
Past meetings presentation materials relating to SNF WQIP, Workforce Standards Program (WSP), and Accountability Sanctions Program (ASP) can be found on the Nursing Facility Financing Reform Webpage.
AB 186 E-mail Distribution List
