CMS Postpones Enforcement Penalties on Long-Term Care Interpretive Guidelines for One Year

​The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) released a memo to state survey agency directors on June 30, 2017, stating it will institute a one-year postponement for using civil money penalties, denial of payment, and/or termination for noncompliance with revised requirements for participation for long-term care facilities. The implementation date of November 28, 2017, will remain the same, but CMS will allow a one-year period for education, additional training, and correction before enforcement penalties take effect.