Wednesday, November 10, 2010

CMS Proposes to Require LTC Facilities to Have Written Agreements With Hospice

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services plans to require long-term care (LTC) facilities to have written agreements with hospice providers clearly describing which services each entity will provide to nursing home residents.

"We believe there is a lack of clear regulatory direction regarding the responsibilities of providers in caring for LTC facility residents who receive hospice care from a Medicare-certified hospice provider, which could result in duplicative or missing services," CMS said in an Oct. 22 Federal Register notice.

The proposed rule, which mirrors requirements established for hospice providers in June 2008, is intended to ensure that both entities are held equally responsible in the written agreement, CMS said. Delineating responsibility for key services would not only ensure continuity of care but guarantee appropriate care is provided to nursing home residents in a timely manner, the agency added. The rule would apply to both Medicare skilled nursing facilities and Medicaid nursing facilities.

The rule also would require LTC facilities to report to the hospice administrator all alleged violations involving mistreatment, neglect, abuse or misappropriation of resident property by hospice personnel.

CMS Proposes to Require LTC Facilities to Have Written Agreements With Hospice

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