On September 17th, CMS released proposed regulations to promote efficiency and transparency as well as reduce burden. The proposed rule addresses changes in the Hospice program. CMS has also posted a fact sheet.
For the Hospice program, the proposed rule would:
- Streamline the hiring process for hospices, allowing hospices to defer to state licensure requirements for their aides regardless of the state content or format, and allow states to set forth training and competency requirements that meet the needs of their populations.
- Encourage seamless integration of information provided by the hospice’s drug management expert into routine interdisciplinary group meetings rather than having to use the more cumbersome “check box” approach that hospices currently implement in order to demonstrate compliance with the regulation.
- Remove the requirement that the hospice have on staff an individual with specialty knowledge of hospice medications.
- Replace a requirement that hospices provide a physical paper copy of policies and procedures with a requirement that hospices provide information regarding the use, storage and disposal of controlled drugs to the patient or patient representative, and family.
- Require hospices that provide hospice care to residents of a skilled nursing facility/nursing facility or Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities to provide facility staff orientation in a way that avoids duplication of efforts of other hospices serving residents of the facility.
