CMS Delays Effective Date of New Nursing Home Survey Guidance Until April 28th
(March 10, 2025) The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has delayed until April 28th the effective date of extensive revisions to the State Operations Manual (SOM) that guides nursing home surveys. LeadingAge National had requested the delay in light of the "pause" on external communications implemented by the Trump administration, which has prevented CMS officials from responding to questions about the new guidance. The revisions to the CMS SOM, Appendix PP, were first released in November 2024 with an effective date of February 2025. The effective date was later delayed until March 24, 2025 and, most recently, until April 28, 2025.
LeadingAge NY ProCare has published five articles for members summarizing key aspects of the updates to Appendix PP:
- Segment 1: Psychotropic Medications
- Segment 2: Transfer and Discharge
- Segment 3: Infection Control
- Segment 4: Quality Assurance Performance Improvement (QAPI), Medical Director, and Assessments
- Segment 5: Pain, Activity of Daily Living (ADL) Definitions, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification, and Physical Environment
The CMS memorandum announcing the delay is here. While the month-long delay is an advocacy success, LeadingAge National is seeking a delay in implementation for a period of time after resumption of agency communication that is equal to the amount of time lost due to the pause. LeadingAge National's letter is here.
Contact: Karen Lipson, klipson@leadingageny.org, or Carrie Mosley, cmosley@leadingageny.org