Posted on Friday, March 31, 2017 7:12 PM
CMS issued a proposed rule this morning to delay the implementation of the newly finalized Home Health Conditions of Participation. At the urging of national associations, spearheaded by NAHC and an outcry from providers, the proposal was submitted with the belief an issuance will be forthcoming.
Home health agencies across the country felt 6 months was not enough time, from finalization of the rule on January 13, 2017, to the expected implementation of July 13, 2017 to fully prepare for the massive undertaking. The proposed rule to delay implementation will give agencies an additional 6 months to assess, plan and prepare, as well as educate their staff on the new conditions of participation.
The newly proposed implementation date is January 13, 2018. Other implementation dates included within the finalized rule are also included in the proposal to be adjusted accordingly by an additional 6-month timeframe.
January 2018 seems like a long time off – but everyone knows how fast time passes, especially in the ever-changing environment of home care. Now is not the time to take a regulatory vacation! Use the added time to truly prepare your organization for the changes the newly revised CoPs will require of you.
Familiarize yourself with what. What has been revised and renumbered, what has been added, what has been removed and most importantly – what is brand new?
Determine who owns it. Who owns reviewing and assessing your current policies and procedures to determine what is lacking and what you will need to meet the new CoPs when they go into effect, who owns laying out a plan and identifying the tasks that must occur to implement the new requirements agency wide, and finally who owns educating staff on the changes and their responsibilities as they relate to the CoPs?
Identify when the tasks need to be started to effectively meet the timeline of January 13, 2018.
Yes, everyone is elated they conceivably now have an additional 6 months to better prepare for the newly revised home health CoPs, but this is not a reason to sit back and let the additional 6 months pass by and then begin your preparations – start now!
Corridor can assist with Policy and Procedure Manuals and other resources to assist with meeting the new Home Health CoPs.
Written by Peggy Patton, RN, MHCL, Corridor’s Vice President of Education Services.
About Corridor
Corridor is the nation’s preferred partner and trusted business advisor to home health and hospice providers, providing quality services and impactful results for 30 years. Focusing on key operational, regulatory and financial challenges, Corridor delivering industry-unique solutions and deep expertise in coding, clinical documentation review, compliance, billing and collections , consulting and provider staff education . At Corridor, we make the business of caring for people Better! For the most important industry updates and news that impacts home health and hospice, please make sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter to receive the latest up-to-date industry information direct to your inbox!
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