Online resource packed with regulatory news and expert guidance, tips & tools pertinent to professionals across the post-acute care continuum.
CMS has issued blanket waivers in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Puerto Rico. The blanket waiver applies to home health agencies and is designed to provided relief on OASIS transmission timelines. To ensure accurate processing of home health disaster-related claims, Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) can extend autocancellation dates of Requests for Anticipated Payment (RAPs), CMS states. Related links: […]
When a hurricane strikes, SNFs, along with the rest of the population in coastal regions, are often issued mandatory evacuations. In 2012, researchers at PBS studied the effects evacuations had on SNF and nursing home residents in the weeks after hurricanes. In the study, To Evacuate or Shelter in Place: Implications of Universal Hurricane Evacuation […]
As of September 2, nearly 100 nursing homes and SNFs have evacuated on the eastern coast of Florida. But while Governor Brian Kemp has issued a mandatory evacuation for 21 counties on the Georgia, coast, about half of SNFs and nursing homes in the area have decided to shelter-in-place, according to the Georgia Department of […]
Home health agencies and other facilities only would need to review their emergency preparedness programs every two years if a proposal from CMS is finalized. CMS’ proposed rule, “Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Regulatory Provisions to Promote Program Efficiency, Transparency, and Burden Reduction,” was included in the Sept. 20 Federal Register. The federal Medicare agency is […]
Consider using an assessment tool to identify clients who would be in greatest need of assistance during emergencies. Doing this kind of preparatory work will help your agency better protect clients in the event disaster strikes in your area. About 4 a.m. Oct. 9, with a massive wildfire raging, employees with At Your Service Home […]
by: A.J. Plunkett The following is an excerpt from Home Health Line. If your agency is part of a health care system, there are many benefits to choosing to work with the umbrella organization as you attempt to comply with CMS’ new emergency preparedness requirements. Even if your agency has a separate Medicare certification […]
This post is an excerpt taken from HCPro’s new title, Disaster Planning, Infection Control, and OSHA Compliance: A Toolkit for Senior Living, a cost-effective, all-inclusive guide to improve safety and satisfaction in your senior living facility. Fire drills should be done based on your state regulations and/or your facility’s policy and procedures. Staff must be […]
On September 1, CMS announced in a memo the release of the emergency preparedness (EP) online training course for surveyors, who will begin surveying for requirements on November 15, 2017. All surveyors are required to take this course; newly hired surveyors will take the course during their State Survey Agency orientation; and providers are encouraged […]
Many long-term care and senior living facilities are putting their disaster preparedness plans to the test this week as Hurricane Harvey causes what’s being referred to as severe, never-before-experienced flooding in Texas. One skilled nursing facility (SNF) is being recognized in the news for their life-saving evacuation plan. Last Thursday, 90 seniors from Gulf Point […]
In today’s rapidly changing environment, no organization is immune from violence. It’s an unfortunate truth, but one that facilities should keep in mind as they revise their emergency preparedness plans to be compliant with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) new standard before surveys begin in November. Those plans likely include policies and […]