If you’re a CMS Compliance Group client, you probably know what we’re going to say in this post: “You’ll need to upgrade your Facility Assessment once the staffing rule comes out.” As expected, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities final rule on April 22, 2024, and not surprisingly, there’s a requirement to upgrade your Facility Assessment.
Per an April 22, 2024 CMS.gov Newsroom announcement, “Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting Final Rule (CMS 3442-F), the Agency is implementing a phased rollout to the new rule. The first requirement to become active is the new requirements for the Facility Assessment.
The final rule, “Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Minimum Staffing Standards for Long-Term Care Facilities and Medicaid Institutional Payment Transparency Reporting,” is scheduled to be published on May 10, 2024. Providers will then have 90 days from the final rule publication to meet the upgraded Facility Assessment requirements.
You can view the unpublished rule in the Federal Register. CMSCG will be posting more information as we review the rule, but for now – take a peek at the CMS Newsroom announcement referenced above to see what you need to be planning for. If you missed our earlier post, you can view this information on the White House Fact Sheet issued earlier today as well.
