Providers could soon see changes to the preadmission screening process for potential nursing home residents.
The Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services announced Friday it’s in the process of revising its Preadmission Screening and Resident Review regulations. It would be the first major change to the regulation since the early 1990s.
The rule requires that all nursing home applicants and residents of Medicaid-certified facilities be screened for mental illness and intellectual disability, and if needed, those services will be provided to them.
Proposed changes include updating the definitions of mental illness and intellectual disability; streaming the screening process; allowing the use of telehealth technology; and placing a greater emphasis on individual preference regarding where they would like to receive long-term services.
The approval of telehealth technology was applauded by Alexis Roam, MSN, RN-BC, DNS-CT, QCP, curriculum development specialist with the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing.
“This gives facilities access to services to help provide the best care possible for residents with MI and ID needs. These services can be limited, especially in rural areas, but the need for services is no less, so approval of telehealth is a step in the right direction,” Roam told McKnight’s Long-Term Care News.
“The new definitions and requirements of screening will be very important for the nurse leader and the nurse assessment coordinator to understand so these parties can coordinate with admissions, as well as the social service director, to ensure pre-admission and admission meet the new requirements and correctly identifies the needs of the person,” Roam added.
Other proposed changes include implementing statutory changes to the Resident Review requirements that aren’t reflected in the current regulations; simplifying what information must be collected during evaluations; making it know that the Federal Financial Participation is available for specialized services; and clarifying state PASRR programs’ federal reporting obligations.
“This NPRM will mark the first time the PASRR regulations have been significantly and substantively updated since they were initially promulgated 1992. Regulatory updates are needed to modernize the regulations and align with current statutory requirements; reduce duplicative requirements and other administrative burdens on state PASRR programs; and make the process more streamlined and person-centered,” the notice states.
Editor’s Note: This story has been updated to include comments from Alexis Roam with the American Association of Post-Acute Care Nursing.
