Katie Smith Sloan

The American Health Care Association and LeadingAge both urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services this fall to push back the next phase of upcoming requirements of participation for long-term care providers. At production deadline it was unclear if they will have succeeded. 

AHCA called on House and Senate members to sign letters moving through both chambers. By Oct. 12, more than 100 House members had signed a letter that urges CMS and the Department of Health and Human Services to rethink some of the provisions of the requirements (which were finalized last year) and give providers more time to comply. Phase 2 of the requirements starts Nov. 28.

“Recent guidance on this rule issued June of this year is helpful but insufficient to allow providers the time to respond to the regulations,” the letter reads. It was spearheaded by Sen. John Hoeven (R-ND) in the Senate and Rep. Jim Renacci (R-OH) in the House.

In late August, LeadingAge also urged a delay as part of its comments on the House’s  “Medicare Red Tape Relief Project.”

While unclear whether a delay would happen, CMS has said it will delay enforcement penalties for a year on Phase 2. Phase 3 is scheduled to take effect on Nov. 28, 2019.