WASHINGTON, D.C. (January 29, 2019)—The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) for the home health conditions of participation (CoP), effective as of January 13, 2018. Even though the final version of the interpretive guidelines for these CoPs was finalized at the end of August 2018, there were still outstanding questions. Many have been answered in the FAQs.
The answers provided by CMS in the FAQ document are effective immediately and were distributed to surveyors via a CMS Center for Clinical Standards and Quality/Quality, Survey, & Oversight Group memo dated January 23, 2019. Instructions in the memo are that the FAQs should be communicated with all survey and certification staff, their managers and the CMS State/Regional Office training coordinators within 30 days of the date of the memo so providers should not be surprised if surveyors or other CMS staff have not yet received the information.
Questions answered in the FAQ document address concerns ranging from medication reviews to qualified interpreters, from OASIS billing requirements to emergency preparedness regulations, and more. Click here to read the FAQ document in full.
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