The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provided information on the implementation requirements for Emergency Preparedness for the seventeen provider types included in the final rule that was announced on September 16, 2016. The rule, “Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers” becomes effective November 15, 2016, however, providers have until November 15, 2017 to be in full compliance with the new requirements.
- Surveyors will not begin evaluating providers for compliance with the new requirements until after November 15, 2017.
- If providers/suppliers are found to be out of compliance, they will be cited for non-compliance and will be required to correct the deficiencies per standard procedures.
- Interpretive guidelines and survey procedures are expected to be published in Spring 2017.
- Surveyor training is being developed and is also expected to be developed in Spring 2017.
The letter include links to useful resources for providers and a link to the FAQ page that CMS is updating to respond to questions about this rule.
Read CMS S&C letter “Information on the Implementation Plans for the Emergency Preparedness Regulation” (Ref: S&C: 17-05-ALL) on the CMS website.