CMS: Proposed rule on discharge planning focuses on patient preference

Editor's Note

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing to revise discharge planning requirements that hospitals, including long-term care hospitals and inpatient rehabilitation facilities, critical access hospitals, and home health agencies, must meet to participate in CMS programs.

Changes to discharge planning requirements would:

• bring them into closer alignment with current practice
• help improve patient quality of care and outcomes
• reduce avoidable complications, adverse events, and readmissions.

The proposed rule would also implement the discharge planning requirements of the Improving Medicare Post-Acute Care Transformation (IMPACT) Act of 2014 that requires applicable institutions to develop a discharge plan within 24 hours of admission based on the goals, preference, and needs of each patient.

Comments on the proposed rule will be accepted until January 4, 2016.

To be assured consideration, comments must be received at one of the addresses provided below, no later than 5 p.m. on January 4, 2016. In commenting, please refer to file code CMS-3317-P. Because of staff and resource limitations, we cannot accept comments by facsimile (FAX) transmission.