CMS released its Emergency Preparedness Interpretive Guidance (IG) on June 2. Surveying for compliance with the emergency preparedness requirements will not begin until November 15, 2017.  Later this summer VHCA-VCAL will host an education program on the emergency preparedness requirements.

CMS plans to post an Excel spreadsheet in which surveyors may filter by their provider/supplier types by selecting “yes” to determine which tags apply to which provider. That file will be posted on the CMS Emergency Preparedness Rule webpage under downloads.

AHCA is in the process of reviewing the IG and will send a more detailed summary out in the near future. (Please note that the emergency preparedness final rule is not applicable to assisted living facilities.) 

Additional Resources

• AHCA Emergency Preparedness Final Rule Webinar Series
• VHCA Emergency Preparedness webpage
• S&C Memo 17-21-ALL: Information to Assist Providers and Suppliers in Meeting the New Training and Testing Requirements of the Emergency Preparedness Requirements
• CMS Emergency Preparedness Requirements Final Rule Training Call (Recording and Transcript)
• CMS releases advance guidance for emergency preparedness rule (McKnight’s, June 7, 2017)