CMS issued a 4-page Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Nursing Home Visitation guidance document on Wednesday afternoon, June 24, 2020 (this document is dated June 23rd). This is a 7-point document that includes responses to these questions: What steps should nursing homes take before reopening to visitors? The reopening recommendations … Read More
QSO 20-34-NH posted – Numerous items you need to know (PBJ is one of them)
The actual subject title of QSO-20-34-NH is this: Changes to Staffing Information and Quality Measures Posted on the Nursing Home Compare Website and Five Star Quality Rating System due to the COVID19 Public Health Emergency That’s a mouthful. Here’s the CMS-provided summary of its contents: I’m going to point out … Read More
Major organizational change to reduce provider and clinician burden and improve patient outcomes
On Tuesday, June 23, 2020, CMS announced the “creation of the Office of Burden Reduction and Health Informatics to unify the agency’s efforts to reduce regulatory and administrative burden and to further the goal of putting patients first. The new office is an outgrowth of the agency’s Patients over Paperwork … Read More
CMS-R-131 ABN form renewed
The ABN, Form CMS-R-131, and form instructions have been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for renewal. The use of the renewed form with the expiration date of 06/30/2023 will be mandatory on 8/31/2020. The ABN form and instructions may be found at: https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-General-Information/BNI/ABN. The previous form … Read More
Fiscal year 2020 CARES Act information updated
CMS updated this 5-page Admin Info: 20-07-ALL notification on June 19, 2020. The original was posted April 30, 2020. “On March 4, 2020, CMS called for States to focus surveys on infection control and on March 23, 2020 provided a streamlined tool to facilitate these efforts. There is currently wide variation in … Read More