Revisions to Home Health Agencies (HHA) – Appendix B of the State Operations Manual

Memorandum Summary

• Updates to the State Operations Manual (SOM) Appendix B - Guidance for Surveyors:
Home Health Agencies – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is releasing
interpretive guidelines and updates to Appendix B of the SOM because several final rules
have amended the Home Health Agency (HHA) Conditions of Participation (CoPs). We made
conforming revisions to the regulatory tags and interpretive guidelines. We are also
combining the HHA survey protocol and interpretive guidelines into one document, updating
Level 1 tags, and making clarifications and technical corrections to other guidance areas
based on stakeholder feedback.

• Several previously released S&C, QSO, and Admin Info memos that are now obsolete
with the revision of Appendix B. Memos: Admin Info 19-07, QSO-18-13, QSO-18-25,
SC11-11, SC12-15, SC14-14, SC15-51, and SC15-52 are now expired. CMS will note the
expiration date on these memos that are currently on the CMS website. This memo and the
associated Appendix B update will supersede the expired memos.