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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will host an Open Door Forum Tuesday to clarify the use of Section 1135 waivers under the H1N1 national emergency declaration.

Last month, President Obama declared the H1N1 influenza pandemic a national emergency. Section 1135 waivers allow healthcare facilities, including skilled nursing facilities, to disregard certain federal regulations to better respond to emergency situations. Skilled nursing facilities, for example, could request a waiver of 42 CFR 483.5, which requires CMS’s approval prior to increasing the number of the facility’s certified beds.

The Open Door Forum will be held between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. EST. To participate, call (800) 837-1935 and use Conference ID 3H1N1. More information about Section 1135 waivers can be found online at the CMS Web site. http://www.cms.hhs.gov/OpenDoorForums/18_ODF_Hospitals.asp