Centers for Medicare and Medicaid - Survey & Certification Letters & Memos

• Survey & Certification Letter 09-54: Nursing Homes - Issuance of Revisions to Interpretive Guidance at F Tag 441, as Part of Appendix PP, State Operations Manual (SOM), and Training Materials
   
• Survey & Certification Letter 09-53: Surveying Facilities That Use Electronic Health Records (EHR)
   
• Survey & Certification Letter 09-39: Food Procurement at 42 CFR 483.35(i)(1)(2), Tag F 371, and Self Determination and Participation at 42 CFR 483.15, Tag F 242
   
• CMS Survey & Certification Letter 09-36 Related to H1N1 Flu (Swine-Origin Influenza A) - State Survey Agency Guidance and Survey/Affected Provider Tracking Tools
   
• Survey & Certification Letter 09-31 Containing Revisions to Several F Tags Related to Quality of Life and Environment
   
• CMS Survey & Certification Letter 0-34: Release of Form CMS-2567 (Statement of Deficiencies) by State Survey Agencies (SAs)
   
• Survey & Certification Letter 09-38 Related to One-Time Cash Benefit to Nursing Home Residents
   
• Survey & Certification Letter 09-33: S&C Issues Related to Swine Flu
   
• Issuance of Revised Quality of Care Guidance at F309, including Pain Management as Part of Appendix PP, State Operations Manual, Effective March 31.
   
• S & C Letter 09-20, Issues Related to Liability Notices and Beneficiary Appeal Rights for Medicare Demand Billing
   
• CMS has released S & C Letter 09-07 which gives state survey agencies advance notice of how the federal Five Star Quality Rating System can be accessed by providers and what will appear on the Nursing Home Compare Web site. Providers will have access to their individual Five-Star rating beginning December 16, 2008, so we encourage all members to access this information after that date.
   
• Report on reduction of the use of physical restraints Ref S & C 09-11
   
   
• Use of Interpretive Guidance by Surveyors for Long Term Care Facilities
   
• Nursing Homes: Surveying Facilities that Receive Food Prepared by Off-Site Kitchens
   
• Improvements to the National Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program for Nursing Facilities - Notice Requirements
   
• Improvements to the National Special Focus Facility (SFF) Program for Nursing Facilities--Notice Requirements - Ref: S&C-08-02
   
• Nursing Home Revisit User Fees
   
• New CMS Survey & Certification Letters regarding medication pass and PASRR - Ref: S&C-07-38
   
• New CMS Survey & Certification Letters regarding medication pass and PASRR - Ref: S&C-07-39
   
• Survey & Certification Letter: 07-05
  Life Safety Code - Exit Discharge Requirements and the Fire Safety Evaluation System (FSES)
   
• S&C Letter 06-30 Revising Guidance for Medication Error Citations at F33
   
• S&C Letter 06-33 Providing Guidance to Survey Agencies Incorporating Photos in their Survey Process
   
• Nursing Homes and Medicare Part D S&C Letter 06-16
   
• S&C Letter 06-12 / State Operations Manual Chapter 5, Complaints
   
• S&C Letter 05-24 / Changes to Staffing Data on the Nursing Home Compare Web Site
• S&C Letter 05-22 / Directive to Nursing Homes and Home Health Agencies - Updated Facility Computer Specifications
   
• American Health Care Association Letter on CMS Revised Policy on Physician Delegation of Tasks (S&C 04-08 Letter)
   
• S&C Letter 03-14 / Clarification For Instructions for CMS-671 LTC Facility Application for Medicare/Medicaid Application Form
   
• S&C Letter 03-10 / State Survey Agency Directors Binding Arbitration
  A memorandum from CMS to State Survey Agency Directors regarding binding arbitration between nursing homes and prospective or current residents. The focus of the memorandum is to remind surveyors that failure to comply with a facility’s request for signature on a binding arbitration agreement does not meet one of the allowable reasons for transfer or discharge from a nursing facility.