In a surprise reversal, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has dropped a controversial proposed regulation that would require nursing homes to hire independent pharmacists to oversee residents’ medication regimens.
The proposed rule had been developed in response to the belief that relationships between long-term care providers and pharmacy suppliers could conflict with the best interests of nursing home residents.
In response to overwhelming criticism, CMS has dropped the proposed regulation for now, which they acknowledged would be “highly disruptive to the industry.” Regulators “decided to further study the issue for future policy considerations,” Jonathan Blum, deputy director of the agency, said in a conference call with reporters.
CMS remains concerned about inappropriate medications for nursing home residents, and in a separate statement, encouraged nursing homes to voluntarily adjust how medications are prescribed or face stiffer regulations down the line.
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.
