Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Reform of Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities

In this proposed rule released July 16, 2015, the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced plans to change the conditions of participation (CoP) for long-term care facilities as part of its effort to strengthen nursing home oversight. The provisions affect staffing, resident assessments and care planning, resident’s rights, staff training, pharmacy reviews of patient medical charts, facility design, and the use of health information technology. CMS also proposed implementing an annual facility assessment to determine staffing requirements, establish quality assurance and performance improvement programs, and conduct emergency preparedness planning. Facilities that provide outpatient rehabilitative therapy . . .