(a) Application.
(1) CMS may suspend payment for all new admissions if an HHA is found to have condition-level deficiencies, regardless of whether those deficiencies pose immediate jeopardy.
(2) CMS will consider this sanction for any deficiency related to poor patient care outcomes, regardless of whether the deficiency poses immediate jeopardy.
(b) Procedures -
(1) Notices.
(i) Before suspending payments for new admissions, CMS provides the HHA notice of the suspension of payment for all new admissions as set forth in § 488.810(f). The CMS notice of suspension will include the nature of the noncompliance; the effective date of the sanction; and the right to appeal the determination leading to the sanction.
(ii) The HHA may not charge a newly admitted HHA patient who is a Medicare beneficiary for services for which Medicare payment is suspended unless the HHA can show that, before initiating care, it gave the patient or his or her representative oral and written notice of the suspension of Medicare payment in a language and manner that the beneficiary or representative can understand.
(2) Restriction.
(i) Suspension of payment for all new admissions sanction may be imposed anytime an HHA is found to be out of substantial compliance.
(ii) Suspension of payment for patients with new admissions will remain in place until CMS determines that the HHA has achieved substantial compliance or is involuntarily terminated with the conditions of participation, as determined by CMS.
(3) Resumption of payments. Payments to the HHA resume prospectively on the date that CMS determines that the HHA has achieved substantial compliance with the conditions of participation.
(c) Duration and effect of sanction. This sanction ends when -
(1) CMS determines that the HHA is in substantial compliance with all of the conditions of participation; or
(2) When the HHA is terminated or CMS determines that the HHA is not in compliance with the conditions of participation at a maximum of 6 months from the date noncompliance was determined.