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)
Author: Joel VanEaton
Regulatory Reminder: CMS Releases Revised Long-Term Care Surveyor Guidance
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…...
Regulatory Reminder: PBJ
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…...
Regulatory Reminders: COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
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,…...
State Health Inspection Cut Point Levels. The How and the Why Part III
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
Regulatory Reminders! CMS Eliminates Key COVID-19 Waivers
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
Regulatory Reminder – CMS Updates 5 Star
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
Regulatory Reminder: CMS to update Quality Measure Ratings Thresholds!
On Monday, CMS issued a memo titled, “Quality Measure Rating Threshold Changes with the April 2022 Refresh”. This memo indicated that CMS plans to change the QM rating thresholds every six months. This will begin in April of 2022. This probably seems like short notice for a change of this magnitude. Back in 2019, CMS… Continue reading Regulatory Reminder: CMS to update Quality Measure Ratings Thresholds!
State Health inspection Cut Point Levels: “How” and the “Why”? – Part 2
I love springtime. It is a time of renewal ,warm days and flowers blooming and often it is a time of new discoveries. Like the fact that I have discovered, that my lawn needs to be mowed and it’s only March. Last month we blogged on state cut points and the disparities between the states.… Continue reading State Health inspection Cut Point Levels: “How” and the “Why”? – Part 2
Georgia on my mind
I love Georgia peaches. In fact, I was lamenting that it was much too early for fresh peaches while at the GHCA winter convention a few weeks ago. (The peach cobbler was outstanding though.) The first bite of those famous southern summer peaches is a tasty treat. Recently, we have been biting into some pretty… Continue reading Georgia on my mind