What’s happening: In four new memos, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) clarifies survey policies for critical access hospitals (CAHs), long-term care facilities (LTC), and laboratories.
What else you need to know: New and revised guidance addresses time-share and leased space arrangements in CAHs, immediate jeopardy in laboratories, and LTC policies.
The CMS Quality, Safety & Oversight Group and Survey & Operations Group recently issued several memos clarifying policies for providers and state survey agencies, including:
- The Guidance for Time-share and Leased Space Arrangements in CAHs clarifies expectations related to space sharing arrangements, including time-sharing and leased space between CAHs and other health care entities.
- The Revised Long-Term Care (LTC) Surveyor Guidance has significant revisions, including policies related to admission, transfer, and discharge; chemical restraints/unnecessary psychotropic medication; resident assessment; quality of life and quality of care; administration; Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI); infection prevention and control; and other areas. Guidance will be effective beginning Feb. 24.
- The Revisions to Appendix Q, Guidance on Immediate Jeopardy clarify policies for laboratories on immediate jeopardy findings.
- Revisions to Survey Procedures and Interpretive Guidelines for Laboratories and Laboratory Services provide guidance and new and revised D-tags for the regulations finalized in the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) final rules on proficiency testing and CLIA fees, histocompatibility, personnel, and alternative sanctions for certificate of waiver laboratories.
