CMS finalizes changes to requirements for accrediting organizations

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services June 12 issued a final rule revising how the agency conducts oversight of accrediting organizations that ensure that hospitals and other healthcare providers are in compliance with the Medicare Conditions of Participation. To reduce burden on providers, the final rule phases out the use of "look-back" validation surveys, replacing them with direct observation validation surveys in which state agencies accompany AOs on surveys to directly evaluate their work. The rule also implements several policies intended to improve consistency in the survey process, including requiring AOs to match their baseline standards with the CoPs and provide a crosswalk of those standards with the CoPs. It also requires AO surveyors to take the same basic training courses as state agency surveyors and implements several conflict-of-interest policies for AOs, including certain restrictions on fee-based consulting services. The changes will take effect June 16, 2027.