The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) have received an application from The Joint Commission (TJC) seeking continued approval of its hospice accreditation program. This approval would allow TJC to deem hospices as meeting or exceeding Medicare requirements, meaning that such hospices could participate in the Medicare or Medicaid programs without further validation from CMS. The CMS is inviting public comments on whether TJC's accreditation standards meet or exceed the Medicare conditions for hospices. Comments must be submitted by February 12, 2025, and the CMS will review TJC’s standards, survey processes, and resources before making a decision.
Simple Explanation
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) received an application from The Joint Commission to keep their special permission to check and approve hospices, which are places that care for very sick people. They want everyone to say if the way The Joint Commission checks these hospices is good enough to meet the rules.