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CHA has issued a detailed summary — prepared by Health Policy Alternatives — of three final rules published together, which are intended to reduce regulatory burden by revising the Medicare Conditions of Participation and Conditions of Coverage for hospitals, critical access hospitals (CAHs), home health providers, transplant centers, ambulatory surgical centers, and other providers and facilities.
The final rule’s provisions are effective Nov. 29. Among the changes, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized CHA-supported revisions to hospital emergency preparedness requirements.
The final rule also codifies infection control requirements and establishes antibiotic stewardship programs for hospitals and CAHs, which must be implemented by March 30, 2020.
In addition, the final rule requires CAHs to establish a Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) program. In response to comments from CHA, CMS delayed implementation of the CAH QAPI requirements for 18 months, to March 30, 2021.
