Articles
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New CMS Program Allows Voluntary Prior Authorization for Certain PMD Accessories
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently implemented a voluntary prior authorization program for certain power mobility device (PMD) accessories.

Palliative Care: Plan Ahead for the End of the COVID-19 PHE
With the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) ending soon, affected healthcare providers, including home health agencies with deemed status, will need to make adjustments as they prepare to restore normal operations.

HCPCS Codes Added to F2F/WOPD List
The CMS is expanding the number of DMEPOS product codes on the Required Face-to-Face Encounter and Written Order Prior to Delivery List.

Behavioral Health: Securing and Releasing Confidential Information
To minimize risk, ACHC Behavioral Health Accreditation Standards stipulate that your organization establish clear, well-defined policies and procedures for properly securing, protecting, and releasing confidential service recipient information.

Palliative Care: Meeting Requirements for Your Plan of Correction
To address deficiencies, an organization must develop an effective Plan of Correction (POC) and submit it to ACHC before a final accreditation status is determined. This is the final step in the accreditation survey process.

Ambulatory Surgery Center: It’s Always Time to Evaluate Quality and Performance
There is one essential plan that should be examined and implemented in the same fashion: Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI).

Tool Simplifies Product Lookup Process
The Competitive Bid HCPCS Lookup Tool will quickly let you know if the HCPCS code is included in the current competitive bidding program.

Behavioral Health: Meeting Requirements for Your Plan of Correction
Nearly all organizations surveyed for accreditation are cited for deficiencies. To address deficiencies, an organization must develop an effective Plan of Correction (POC) and submit it to ACHC before a final accreditation status is determined. This is the final step in the accreditation survey process.

Preparing for the End of the COVID-19 PHE
On January 30, 2023, the Biden administration announced that the COVID-19 national emergency and Public Health Emergency will end on May 11, 2023. What does this mean for health care provider and supplier organizations that have come under CMS blanket waivers and enforcement discretion?

Ambulatory Surgery Center: Ensuring Anesthesia Machine Safety
When a patient must undergo a procedure that requires anesthesia, a crucial step in ensuring patient safety is to conduct a thorough check of the anesthesia machine to be certain the components are in proper working order. ACHC Standards address maintenance requirements. (article continues)