Situation Report | March 29, 2021
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted Updated Guidance for Emergency Preparedness-Appendix Z of the State Operations Manual that is geared to State Survey Agency Directors and affects home care and hospice agencies.
The revisions result from CMS issuing two final rules with certain provisions effective November 29, 2019. The first rule was the Medicare and Medicaid Regulatory Provisions to Promote Program Efficiency, Transparency, and Burden Reduction which revised requirements of all providers and suppliers for Emergency Preparedness.
Additionally, in February 2019, CMS added “emerging infectious diseases” to the definition of an all-hazards approach in Appendix Z as CMS determined that facilities should consider preparedness and infection prevention within their all-hazards approach, which covers both natural and man-made disasters.
HCA will be reviewing the guidance and alert members on how it impacts them.