CMS extends comment period for emergency preparedness rule

CMS last week extended to March 31 the comment period for its proposed Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers rule. “We believe that it is important to allow ample time for all sections of the public to comment on this proposed rule. Therefore, we are extending the comment period,” CMS stated in the Federal Register.

The rule, proposed in December 2013, establishes national emergency preparedness requirements for Medicare and Medicaid participating providers and suppliers to ensure they plan for both natural and man-made disasters and coordinate with federal, state, tribal, regional, and local emergency preparedness systems. The rule would require providers and suppliers to:

• Develop an emergency plan based on a risk assessment that utilizes an all-hazards approach.
• Develop and implement policies and procedures based on the plan and their risk assessment.
• Develop and maintain a communication plan to locate patients and/or residents and address their healthcare needs during and after a disaster. The plan must comply with both Federal and State laws and it must be well-coordinated within the facility and across healthcare providers.
• Provide personnel training and to test their emergency program annually.

Source: CMS