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As you may have seen, late Friday, the following announcement was posted by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) extending the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). This extends the PHE for another 90 days until October 15th. DHHS has indicated that they will provide states with 60 days notice prior to the termination…...
Good Morning Everyone, Just yesterday, CMS posted the following announcement related to Skilled Nursing Facility Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) non-compliance. FY 2023 begins Oct. 1. Quality Reporting Program: Non-Compliance Letters for FY 2023 APU CMS is providing notifications to facilities that were determined to be out of compliance with Quality Reporting Program (QRP) requirements…...
Good morning everyone. CMS has released a flurry of regulatory updates lately. Late yesterday, CMS released the long awaited update to the 5-Star user’s manual and boy was it a surprise with two important changes outlined. Not only has CMS folded the new weekend staffing and staff turnover measures into the star rating, they have…...
I love the summer. I look forward to it all year. In East Tennessee where I live, this time of year is especially beautiful. We are high up enough to escape the sweltering heat and humidity most days until the dog days come. It is green and lush here and the summer floral extravaganza is… Continue reading FY 2023 SNF PPS Proposed Rule: The Facts behind the Headlines (Hidden Reductions)
Good afternoon everyone. As you may have heard, this afternoon CMS has issues the long awaited updated interpretive guidance for phase 2 and phase 3 conditions of participation as well as other guidance. See below the summary points included in the memo to state survey directors, QSO-22-19, that was released today. This memo details revisions…...
Good afternoon everyone. This late edition of Regulatory Reminders is related to PBJ. This month, CMS quietly issued an updated PBJ Manual. I have attached the revised manual. All of the updated language shows up in the manual in red. PBJ accuracy is critical. Here are the main revisions. on page 1-3, CMS has added…...
Good afternoon everyone. Just this week, on Tuesday, June 14th, CMS issued QSO-22-17-All with a subject: Surveys for compliance with Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Requirements. In that memo CMS indicated that, to date, 95.0% of providers and suppliers surveyed by states have been found to be in substantial compliance with vaccine requirements. Specifically,…...
When I was a teenager, I was always very aware that I was not one of the “popular” kids. When you’re a 15 year old that can be very awkward. I didn’t understand it at the time. That’s just the way things were in the social order of junior high and high school. It didn’t… Continue reading State Health Inspection Cut Point Levels. The How and the Why Part III
Wow! 2 Regulatory Reminders in two days. CMS has been busy! You may be wondering how long CMS will allow many of the COVID-19 waivers will last. Well wonder no longer. Today, CMS issued QSO-22-15-NH. In this memo, CMS has initiated a 30 and 60 day timeline for the phase out of some of the… Continue reading Regulatory Reminders! CMS Eliminates Key COVID-19 Waivers
Well we knew it was going to happen. CMS has posted a revised 5-Star User’s guide that details the promised changes to the Quality Measure cut point thresholds. In a recent regulatory reminder we indicated that CMS had given us a heads up about these changes in memo issued last month which detailed the planned… Continue reading Regulatory Reminder – CMS Updates 5 Star