As a reminder, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the Emergency Preparedness Rule last November with an effective date of November 16, 2017. While most of the language and requirements of this rule were mirrored in the new Conditions of Participation, the rule has not been delayed for home health care providers.
According to CMS, there are four core elements to the comprehensive emergency preparedness plan:
• Risk assessment and planning
• Policies and procedures
• Communication plan
• Training and testing
CMS estimates that it will take a home health agency 26 hours at $1,424 to develop its comprehensive risk assessment and emergency preparedness plan, and approximately 80 hours total to complete everything listed in the regulation. There is no additional funding forthcoming from CMS.
VNAA has produced a webinar and slides on the emergency preparedness rule for both home health and hospice. Further guidance is anticipated from CMS in late May and VNAA will share that information with providers at that time.
MHCA is also offering a one-hour session on Emergency Management at the MHCA Annual Meeting. Join us on the afternoon of May 10 to hear Shawn Stoen, Regional Healthcare Preparedness Coordinator of CentraCare discuss best practices regarding emergency preparedness in a Home Care setting.
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