CMS Says Hospitals Impacted by Hurricane Irma Will Be Granted Reporting Exceptions

​Following Hurricane Irma, certain facilities in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands will be granted exceptions under quality reporting and value-based purchasing programs, including hospitals, cancer hospitals, inpatient psychiatric facilities, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, hospices, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, long-term care hospitals, ambulatory surgery hospitals, and renal dialysis facilities, the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services (CMS) announced on September 14, 2017. These facilities will not need to submit an extraordinary circumstances exception request. The exceptions will apply to all 67 counties in Florida, as well as several jurisdictions in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.