Annual surveys may not be mandatory for all agencies
The Health Care Financing Administration in Baltimore says home health agencies accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations in Oakbrook Terrace, IL, that have been deemed as meeting Medicare certification requirements will no longer automatically have unannounced annual surveys.
Rather, HCFA will permit some accredited agencies in good standing to be surveyed every 36 months. Survey intervals which may be one, two, or three years will be determined using HCFA criteria. Of course, change of ownership sometimes necessitates that surveys be held earlier than usual. Prior to HCFA’s announcement, home health agencies receiving Medicare certification through JCAHO accreditation were required to undergo annual unannounced surveys by JCAHO even though accreditation is conferred for a three-year period.
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