Medicare Program; Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Prospective Payment System for FY 2004

SUMMARY: This proposed rule updates the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for Federal fiscal year 2004 as required under section 1886(j)(3)(C) of the Social Security Act (the Act). Section 1886(j)(5) of the Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services (the Secretary) to publish in the Federal Register on or before August 1 before each fiscal year, the classification and weighting factors for the IRF case-mix groups and a description of the methodology and data used in computing the prospective payment rates for that fiscal year. In addition, in this proposed rule, we are proposing new policies, and changing or clarifying existing policies regarding the prospective payment system (PPS) within the authority granted under sections 1886(j) and 1886(d) of the Act.