Norris Cunningham

Norris Cunningham, Esq., Member, Stoll Keenon Ogden, PLLC Q: CMS is launching yet another audit of SNF pharmacy services related to opioids. Why, and how, can SNFs protect themselves?

Norris Cunningham, Esq., Member, Stoll Keenon Ogden, PLLC Q: Only months after changing the definition of “major falls,” now CMS wants to emphasize fall rates in the selection of Special Focus Facilities. Is this a compliance trap for SNFs? A: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently directed state agencies to prioritize resident falls instead of staffing when choosing nursing homes for the Special Focus Facility program.

Q: I understand that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is planning to audit Medicare Advantage enrollment to find out if the plans have been manipulating the numbers through improper methods. What will this mean for nursing homes and residents in these plans? A: A recent addition to the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General Work Plan is a large scale analysis by CMS of enrollment and disenrollment data related to the Medicare Advantage program.