(a) Continued payments. CMS may continue payments to a hospice program with condition-level deficiencies that do not constitute immediate jeopardy for up to 6 months from the last day of the survey if the criteria in paragraph (a)(1) of this section are met.
(1) Criteria. CMS may continue payments to a hospice program not in compliance with the conditions of participation for the period specified in paragraph (a) of this section if all of the following criteria are met:
(i) An enforcement remedy, or remedies, has been imposed on the hospice program and termination has not been imposed.
(ii) The hospice program has submitted a plan of correction approved by CMS.
(iii) The hospice program agrees to repay the Federal Government payments received under this paragraph (a) if corrective action is not taken in accordance with the approved plan and timetable for corrective action.
(2) Termination. CMS may terminate the hospice program's provider agreement any time if the criteria in paragraph (a)(1) of this section are not met.
(b) Cessation of payments for new admissions. If termination is imposed, either on its own or in addition to an enforcement remedy or remedies, or if any of the criteria set forth in paragraph (a)(1) of this section are not met, the hospice program will receive no Medicare payments, as applicable, for new admissions following the last day of the survey.
(c) Failure to achieve compliance with the conditions of participation. If the hospice program does not achieve compliance with the conditions of participation by the end of the period specified in paragraph (a) of this section, CMS terminates the provider agreement of the hospice program in accordance with § 488.1265.