Occupational Mix Deadline
The deadline for hospitals to submit the Occupational Mix Survey this year is June 30th.
CMS collects data every three years on the Occupational Mix of employees for each Inpatient Prospective Payment System (“IPPS”). Using the data, an Occupational Mix Adjustment Factor (“OMAF”) is calculated. The Occupational Mix adjustment affects the average hourly wage of each participating hospital. As a result, this can have a significant impact on reimbursement.
The Occupational Mix adjustment helps to recognize regional differences in wage costs and skilled labor mix. Most rural hospitals do not have the same skilled labor mix as larger, more urban hospitals. A higher-skilled labor mix should result in a higher average hourly wage.
Reporting Categories
CMS requires the average hourly wages to be broken out into five categories for Occupational Mix purposes. Payroll information covering the calendar year of the survey should be used to calculate the average hourly wage of each of these categories. The categories include:
- Registered Nurses (RNs)
- Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs), Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs), and Surgical Technologists
- Nursing Assistant and Orderlies
- Medical Assistants
- All Other Occupations (non-nursing employees)
Nursing employees working in the following cost centers, as used for Medicare cost reporting purposes, must be included in the categories listed above:
Determining which category your hospital job codes and positions fit into can be difficult and time-consuming. The accuracy of these categorical assignments is important for wage index purposes and reimbursement.
Contact An Expert Today
If your hospital or health system needs assistance with preparing an Occupational Mix Survey, contact a Blue & Co. advisor today. Our experts work with providers from small rural to large health systems, and can help gather the information required for submission to CMS. With our experience with the Occupational Mix Survey and our extensive knowledge of its instructions, we can ensure proper category assignments.
Kyle Smith, CPA, 340B ACE, Director
Austin Fisher, CPA, Senior Manager
Jordan Rose, CPA, Senior Manager
