A: One of the provisions of the Balanced Budget Act (BBA) of 1997 (Section 4432 (b)) requires consolidated billing for Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). The consolidated billing requirement confers on the Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) the billing responsibility for the entire package of care that residents receive during a covered Part A SNF stay and physical, occupational, and speech therapy services received during a non-covered stay.

A limited number of services are specifically excluded from consolidated billing and therefore separately payable. These exceptions, as well as additional information concerning SNF consolidated billing, can be found on the CMS Web site at www.cms.hhs.gov/SNFConsolidatedBilling/ .