New Federal Regulations on Medi-Cal and Nursing Homes by Kevin Staker

Revised Federal Regulations on Medi-Cal and Nursing Homes

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ("CMS"), part of the United States Department of Health and Human Services has issued a final rule on long term care facilities.

This rule revises the requirements that Long-Term Care facilities must meet to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. These changes reflect the substantial advances that have been made over the past several years in the theory and practice of service delivery and safety. These revisions are also an integral part of their our efforts to broadly improve both the quality of health care furnished through federal
programs, and patient safety.  However, they also attempt to reduce the  procedural burdens on long term care providers.

One important rule is a prohibition of arbitration clauses in pre-admission agreements.

These regulations are effective on November 28, 2016.  They revise 42 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 405, 431, 447, 482, 483, 485, 488, and 489.

By Kevin Staker