The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of
Inspector General has recently released the new draft compliance guidance for
nursing homes.
The draft is the latest update to the compliance program
guidance, which was originally published in 2000. It takes into consideration
much of the feedback the agency received from the nursing home industry this
last January, according to HHS officials. Similarly, the new draft will be open
for comments until June 2. It is currently available for comment on the OIG Web
site.
The final version, which is due to be released some time
this fall, "will provide voluntary guidelines to assist nursing facilities
in identifying significant risk areas and in evaluating and, as necessary,
refining ongoing compliance efforts," according to the draft.
To view the draft, go to
http://www.oig.hhs.gov/fraud/docs/complianceguidance/NurseCPGIIFR.pdf.