The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a proposed rule Dec. 20, 2013, to establish emergency preparedness requirements for Medicare and Medicaid participating providers and suppliers. The rule proposes to create national requirements that ensure health care facilities are prepared to protect patient safety during natural and man-made disasters and public health emergencies. In the rule, CMS proposes the following requirements for Medicare and Medicaid participating providers and suppliers:
- Develop an emergency plan based on a risk assessment.
- Develop and implement policies and procedures based on the emergency plan and risk assessment.
- Develop and maintain an emergency preparedness communication plan.
- Develop and maintain training and testing programs.
Please contact Xiaoyi Huang, assistant vice president for policy, at xhuang@essentialhospitals.org or 202-585-0127 with questions.
