The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) issued a provider letter to Nursing Facilities and Hospitals Seeking Medicare Certification for a Skilled Nursing Care Unit to inform them about new policy documents issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding workload prioritization on initial certification surveys. Attached to the two-page letter is a two-page Q&A memo. Download the letter and attachment here for more information. CMS published … [Read more...] about Provider Letters: Workload Prioritization of Initial Certification Surveys, OASIS-B1
Cooperation Key to Nursing Home Quality Improvements
Mary Ousley, past chair of the American Health Care Association, which represents long term care providers, testified before a congressional committee last week about the long term care profession’s experience with the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA ‘87). OBRA '87 is considered landmark legislation because it established many nursing home oversight rules in place today. Ousley said that in order to improve nursing facilities, providers, regulators, and consumers must … [Read more...] about Cooperation Key to Nursing Home Quality Improvements
Texas Register Updates for March 9 and 16
March 9 The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) announced on behalf of the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) that it has adopted the repeal of §§7.301 - 7.311 and §§7.313 - 7.316 in Chapter 7. The repeal is intended to facilitate the consolidation of rules dealing with volunteer programs and donations to DADS by striking obsolete rules. For more information, see the relevant section in the March 9 Texas Register. Additionally, HHSC will submit an … [Read more...] about Texas Register Updates for March 9 and 16
Federal and State Survey Letters
There have been several survey and certification letters posted on the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services web site since January. Please click on the titles to download letters in PDF format. Federal Multiple Providers -- Medical Gas Storage and Usage Considerations (1/12/07) Publication of the Hospital CoPs: Requirements for H and P; Authentication of Verbal Orders; etc. (1/26/07) Electronic Signature Guidance in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities (IRFs) … [Read more...] about Federal and State Survey Letters
Provider Letter: Joint Training Survey Announcement
In a new provider letter, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) has asked assisted living facilities to complete a survey about their needs and preferences for future joint training courses. DADS offers courses to assisted living providers “related to common deficiencies and violations†and other topics of interest. To participate in the survey, follow this link. You may view the course offerings here and download the provider letter here. … [Read more...] about Provider Letter: Joint Training Survey Announcement
Provider Letter: Joint Training Survey Announcement
In a letter dated May 12, the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) asked providers to participate in an online survey for joint training courses. Based on the survey, DADS will assess the needs of nursing, assisted living, adult day care, and intermediate care facilities when developing joint training courses for long term care providers. According to the letter, there is no fee to take the confidential survey, which will be accessible for the next 60 days, starting today. … [Read more...] about Provider Letter: Joint Training Survey Announcement
The HCSSA Survey Process
The Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services has issued a letter informing Home and Community Support Services Agencies about what they can expect when their agency is surveyed. The letter outlines each stage of the process, including how to begin the informal review of deficiencies, and agency rights and responsibilities. Download a PDF copy of the five-page letter. … [Read more...] about The HCSSA Survey Process
CMS Instructs State Survey Agencies On Compliance Dates
A State or two in Region VI appear to be confused about what compliance date to assign when a facility clears on a revisit. Thus, CMS recently sent a Regional Survey And Certification Letter to all State Survey Agencies to clarify the issue. Click here to see the letter. It is suspected that the letter was prompted by a conversation between CMS and the unamed State Survey agencies that went something like this: "If you find deficiencies on an initial or annual visit, you are to send the … [Read more...] about CMS Instructs State Survey Agencies On Compliance Dates
Change In New Mexico IDR Practice
Until recently, the New Mexico Survey Agency allowed providers to file only the Informal Dispute Resolution request- without your rebuttal information- by the tenth day after receipt of the 2567. The agency then permitted additional time for filing the rebuttal information as long as it was received two weeks prior to a meeting of the Informal Review Committee meeting.The above described practice, though contrary to the written policy, was allowed until now. Contacts at the DOH have now … [Read more...] about Change In New Mexico IDR Practice
A Little CMS Bird Chirps In My Ear About Inservices
I have received some insights from a source from CMS in Dallas about how your inservices could be improved that may help you when you are dealing with survey issues.The holding of an inservice in and of itself is not compelling evidence that you are fixing problems before (as part of Quality Assurance) or after (as part of a Plan of Correction). The folks at CMS want to know that an inservice has effectively taught staff how to carry out particular functions.The folks at CMS are concerned that … [Read more...] about A Little CMS Bird Chirps In My Ear About Inservices
