The HHS Office of Inspector General released work plan updates on November 15th that include two projects of interest for nursing home members. The first is a case study on emergency preparedness in healthcare settings during hurricanes in 2022. The case study is not specific to nursing homes but understanding that the emergency preparedness requirements followed by nursing homes are part of more comprehensive regulation that apply to all CMS-certified settings, it is likely that the findings from this case study will impact nursing homes.
The second new task is an audit of payroll-based journal data to determine accuracy of the hours reported. No further information is available on the audit process, such as how reported hours will be validated and what, if anything, will be required of providers related to these audits. Both the emergency preparedness case study and the PBJ audit are expected in 2025.
