Posted on Tuesday, September 25, 2018 5:34 PM
On September 17, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) published the proposed rule, Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Regulatory Provisions To Promote Program Efficiency, Transparency, and Burden Reduction. As the title suggests, CMS is proposing to modify certain regulatory requirements across multiple health care settings, including home health care, to reduce provider burden.
In the new rule, CMS is seeking to revise three home health Conditions of Participation (COP) that went into effect on January 13, 2018.
If CMS passes the proposal, home health agencies would no longer be required to provide every patient verbal explanation of their rights. CMS cited stakeholders’ concerns related to burden without any added benefit for patents as the reason for removing the verbal rights requirement.
CMS is also proposing to change the requirement for home health agencies to perform a complete competency evaluation if an aide shows a deficiency in one area. The change would allow the agency to just have the aide’s competency evaluated in the area of the deficiency.
Finally, CMS is proposing to remove the requirement that an agency provide a patient with their medical record by the next visit of the request. CMS will retain the requirement for the agency to provide the medical record within 4 business days.
Source: NAHC Report
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