COVID-19 Update: CMS announces resumption of survey activities

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced its intention to resume routine inspections of all Medicare and Medicaid certified providers and suppliers.

CMS previously issued guidance on March 4, 2020, and clarifying guidance on March 10, 2020, suspending non-emergency survey inspections in order to give providers and suppliers time to respond to the spread of COVID-19, and to allow surveyors to focus on the most current and serious health and safety threats. 

CMS cites improving the safety and quality of life of patients and residents as the motivation for resumption of survey activity. Surveys to be resumed include onsite revisit surveys, non-immediate jeopardy complaint surveys and annual recertification surveys. The timeframe for resumption of routine surveys will be determined by individual state agencies based on availability of resources. 

In addition, CMS issued guidance on resolving enforcement cases that were on hold because of survey prioritization changes, and released an updated “Toolkit on State Actions to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence in Nursing Homes.”