On September 28th, CMS issued a final rule that revises the requirements that long-term care facilities must meet to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The final rule includes new policies regarding resident rights, facility responsibilities, transitions of care, and comprehensive resident-centered care plans. Unlike the annual provider payment update rules issued by CMS, the long-term care final rule comprehensively revises the conditions of participation for long-term care facilities for the first time since 1991.
The rule’s provisions will go into effect in three phases:
- Phase 1 – November 28, 2016
- Phase 2 – November 28, 2017
- Phase 3 – November 28, 2019
This document summarizes several major provisions of the final rule and includes a comprehensive implementation timeline. The final rule is available here.