The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) added a new item to its Work Plan in June, “Assessment of the Special Focus Facility Program for Nursing Homes.” The report, which has an expected issue date of FY 2025, will evaluate the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and State Agencies’ implementation of the Special Focus Facilities (SFF) Program. The evaluation will review how the revisions to the SFF Program made in October 2022 were implemented, as these changes were meant to shorten the length of time facilities are designated as SFFs. Reducing the amount of time a nursing home is on the SFF List would allow for more facilities to be put in the program – and hopefully graduate after showing sustained improvement.
View the newly added OIG Work Plan item here.