Articles and Blogs

On March 13, 2020, Secretary Azar of the Department of Health and Human Services (the “HHS”) issued a letter titled “Waiver or Modification of Requirements Under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act” (the “Azar Letter”) that grants the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (the “CMS”) the authority to issue waivers specific to... READ MORE

On March 10, 2020, the Quality, Safety & Oversight Group at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a memorandum entitled “Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”) in Home Health Agencies (“HHAs”)” (“QSO Memo”) that announced recommendations for HHAs regarding taking appropriate action to address potential and confirmed COVID-19... READ MORE

On March 17, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a memorandum titled “Information for PACE Organizations Regarding Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)” (“CMS Memo”) that announced COVID‑19 guidance for Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (“PACE”) program organizations (“PACE Organization”). The PACE program is a... READ MORE

On May 3, 2019, CMS released its long-awaited guidance on hospital co-location and shared service arrangements in the form of a draft survey memo (“Memo”), which is available here. The Memo clarifies how a hospital can co-locate with other health care entities without violating the Medicare Conditions of Participation (“CoPs”). CMS has been promising... READ MORE

On January 13, 2017, CMS published the revised Conditions of Participation (“CoPs”) for home health agencies, 42 CFR 484, Subparts A, B, and Subpart C. The CoPs became effective on January 13, 2018. On August 31, 2018, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) issued a Memorandum to State Survey Agency Directors (QSO-18-25-HHA) that... READ MORE

On April 6, 2012, CMS issued a Survey and Certification Transmittal stating that when a Home Health Agency (“HHA”) deactivates its provider number (the provider number is now referred to as the CMS Certification Number or CCN), the HHA must be surveyed for compliance with the CMS Conditions of Participation (CoPs) for HHA’s if... READ MORE

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued revisions to the process Home Health Agencies (HHA) must undergo prior to initial certification.  The revised process adds an additional review of enrollment criteria performed by the Regional Home Health Intermediary (RHHI) or Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC).   READ MORE

When the new hospice Conditions of Participation (CoPs) became effective in Decmeber of 2008 there was a provision in the CoPs stating a hospice must have an agreement with a nursing home if the hospice provides services in the nursing home.  While it was a standard business practice for hospices to have agreements with nursing homes prior... READ MORE