The final rule on Emergency Preparedness Requirements for Medicare and Medicaid Participating Providers and Suppliers was published
on Sept. 16, 2016. This rule affects all 17 provider and supplier types eligible for participation in Medicare. The rule became effective on Nov. 15, 2016 and will be implemented on Nov. 15, 2017.
An advanced copy of the interpretive guidelines and survey procedures is available and will be incorporated into the SOM under Appendix Z and applies to all 17 provider and supplier types. Appendix Z applies to all 17 providers and suppliers included in the Final Rule.
Similar to how Life Safety Code (LSC) requirements have a set of K-Tags that are utilized for citations for multiple provider and supplier types, the emergency preparedness requirements will have a set of tags that will be used to cite non-compliance for all 17 provider and supplier types included in the final rule. The tags for emergency preparedness will be “E” Tags and accessible to both health and safety surveyors and LSC Surveyors. State survey agencies will have discretion regarding whether the LSC or health and safety surveyors will conduct the emergency preparedness surveys. Note: Surveying for compliance with the emergency preparedness requirements does not begin before Nov. 15, 2017.
