Dynamic List Information
Dynamic List Data
Title
Temporary Moratorium on Home Health Agency (HHA) Enrollment-Metropolitan Areas of Miami and Chicago
Memo #
13-53-HHA
Posting Date
2013-08-09
Fiscal Year
2013
Title
• Temporary Moratorium – On July 31, 2013 the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a temporary moratorium on Home Health Agency (HHA) enrollment in two geographic areas. Effective July 30, 2013, CMS will halt the enrollment of new HHA providers and HHA branch locations in the metropolitan areas of Miami, FL and Chicago, IL.
• Length of Moratorium - The moratorium will be in place for six months. Federal regulations allow CMS to lift the moratorium as necessary or to extend the moratorium for six month periods by notifying the public.
• HHA Application Status – Prospective HHA applications within the affected areas which were not approved prior to July 30, 2013 will be denied by the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). Approved means that by 12:00 AM July 30, 2013 the initial certification survey was completed; the second MAC review was completed; the CMS Regional Office (RO) sent the tie-in notice to the MAC; the MAC performed a site visit and the MAC decided to switch the HHA’s Provider Enrollment Chain Organization System (PECOS) record to an “approved” status.
• State Survey Agency (SA)/Regional Office (RO) Review – As of 12:00 AM on July 30, 2013, the SAs and ROs must cease all review of any initial HHA applications pending within the SA or RO for prospective providers in the affected zip codes of the moratorium. In addition, the SAs/ROs may not review any application for an HHA branch location within the affected zip codes throughout the duration of the moratorium.
• Length of Moratorium - The moratorium will be in place for six months. Federal regulations allow CMS to lift the moratorium as necessary or to extend the moratorium for six month periods by notifying the public.
• HHA Application Status – Prospective HHA applications within the affected areas which were not approved prior to July 30, 2013 will be denied by the Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). Approved means that by 12:00 AM July 30, 2013 the initial certification survey was completed; the second MAC review was completed; the CMS Regional Office (RO) sent the tie-in notice to the MAC; the MAC performed a site visit and the MAC decided to switch the HHA’s Provider Enrollment Chain Organization System (PECOS) record to an “approved” status.
• State Survey Agency (SA)/Regional Office (RO) Review – As of 12:00 AM on July 30, 2013, the SAs and ROs must cease all review of any initial HHA applications pending within the SA or RO for prospective providers in the affected zip codes of the moratorium. In addition, the SAs/ROs may not review any application for an HHA branch location within the affected zip codes throughout the duration of the moratorium.