CMS Rule Aims to Cut Regulatory Burdens

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued a final rule making changes to many regulatory provisions to reduce bureaucratic burdens on providers and promote the efficiency of various programs.


The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has issued a final rule making changes to many regulatory provisions to reduce bureaucratic burdens on providers and promote the efficiency of various programs.

The rule is a result of Executive Order 13563 that President Obama signed early in his presidency, directing government agencies to review existing rules for unnecessary burdensome requirements or outdated provisions.

The final rule from CMS is available here and will be published May 16 in the Federal Register. Some of the changes include:

* Retiring of older versions of e-prescribing transactions for Medicare Part D and adoption of newer versions compliant with current e-prescribing standards;

* Removing of obsolete regulations that apply to initial determinations, re-openings and appeals of claims under Medicare Part A and B to eliminate confusion about which appeals rights and procedures apply;

* Removing outdated personnel qualifications for physical and occupational therapists;

* Removing of an obsolete requirement covering aspects of an infection control programs within ambulatory surgical centers; and

* Replacing the term “recipient” in favor of “beneficiary” under Medicaid, and replacing “mental retardation” with “intellectual disability.”