Skilled Nursing Facility Defined

30 - Skilled Nursing Facility Defined (Rev. 1, 09-11-02) A SNF is an institution or a distinct part of an institution (see §30.1 of this chapter), such as a skilled nursing home or rehabilitation center, which has a transfer agreement in effect with one or more participating hospitals (see §30.2 of this chapter for transfer agreements and §10.1 of this chapter, for definition of a participating hospital) and which: • Is primarily engaged in providing skilled nursing care and related services for residents who require medical or nursing care; or rehabilitation services for the rehabilitation of injured, disabled, or sick persons, and • Meets the requirements for participation in 1819(a) through 1819 (d) as amended by 4201 of OBRA 1987 of the Social Security Act and in regulations at 42 CFR 483, B. A qualified SNF is one that meets all the requirements in the preceding definition. For Medicare purposes, the term SNF does not include any institution which is primarily for the care and treatment of mental diseases. (This restriction does not apply to title XIX (Medicaid)). Also, the term "skilled nursing facility" does not include swing bed hospitals authorized to provide and be paid for extended care services. Swing bed hospitals must meet many of the same requirements that apply to SNFs (for more details regarding swing bed hospitals, see §30.3.)