Friday, December 2, 2016

Are You Ready for the Emergency Preparedness Requirements Rule? This impacts all healthcare providers and suppliers

September 8, 2016 the Federal Register posted the final rule Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers. The regulation goes into effect on November 16, 2016. Health care providers and suppliers affected by this rule must comply and implement all regulations one year after the effective date, on November 16, 2017.

The purpose is to establish national emergency preparedness requirements to ensure adequate planning for both natural and man-made disasters, and coordination with federal, state, tribal, regional and local emergency preparedness systems. The following information will apply upon publication of the final rule:
  • Requirements will apply to all 17 provider and supplier types.
  • Each provider and supplier will have its own set of Emergency Preparedness regulations incorporated into its set of conditions or requirements for certification.
  • Must be in compliance with Emergency Preparedness regulations to participate in the Medicare or Medicaid program.

Some items may include transfer documentation between facilities during disasters. Each agency must have a risk assessment, training and testing.

Since this is now part of the final rule, surveyors can evaluate and cite agencies who are out of compliance. Are you ready to meet these requirements? The above was written for us by J’non Griffin, President of Home Health Solutions, Inc.  She will one of our presenters at our New Directions in Home Care and New Directions in Hospice Seminars that will be held in Las Vegas in January 2017.  She will be addressing the Emergency Preparedness Requirements Rules in her presentations at both seminars.


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