On June 29, 2022, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released much-awaited Phase 3 guidance along with updated Phase 2 guidance on nursing home regulation. The guidance was issued as the result of 2016 revisions to the Medicare Requirements for Participation for Nursing Homes. Due to delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, CMS is only now releasing the last set of guidance for nursing home regulation, which was originally scheduled to be released in 2019.
The Phase 3 guidance offers significant updates to the requirements state oversight agencies must follow when surveying and assessing a nursing home’s compliance with federal regulations. These areas include:
- Visitation
- Staffing
- Abuse and Neglect of Residents
- Transfer and Discharge Rights
- Infection Control
- Resident Assessments
The guidance is important to both consumers and long-term care professionals. Courtesy of Consumer Voice, a reference guide and summary has been created to help consumers and professionals understand and access this updated guidance, which you can review by clicking here.
The hope is the updated guidance will increase protections for nursing home residents in a variety of areas.