The 2012 Life Safety Code (LSC) contains numerous provisions that address culture change in nursing facilities. These new provisions are somewhat of a liberalization of standards to permit a more home-like environment for residents, rather than an institutional setting. I am expecting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to release a Survey & Certification Letter (S&C Letter) within the next few days that will permit facilities to adopt these new standards through a waiver process.
CMS currently enforce the 200o LSC, which does not permit the features permitted by the 2012 LSC, such as kitchens open to living spaces, fireplaces, combustible decorations, and furniture placed in corridors. However, these features currently conflict with many federal and state regulations. CMS is expected to permit a waiver process for facilities to adopt these new standards prior to CMS’ adoption of the complete 2012 LSC.
We will provide information related to this process when CMS releases the S&C Letter.
Should you have any questions, please contact:
Todd Selby at 317.977.1440 or tselby@wp.hallrender.com;
Brian Jent at 317.977.1402 or bjent@wp.hallrender.com; or
David Bufford at 502.568.9368 or dbufford@wp.hallrender.com,
or your regular Hall Render attorney.
