Home Health Agencies
If your home health agency is eligible for Medicare certification, you may choose to participate in a modified Joint Commission accreditation survey that can be used for both accreditation and for Medicare certification (called deemed status).
If you choose this option, we will conduct an unannounced survey that will replace the Medicare survey usually conducted by your state agency. The unannounced component of the survey is required by the Health Care Financing Administration. Survey intervals, which may be one, two or three years, will be determined using Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) criteria. More frequent surveys may be necessary for an accredited home health agency that, for example, has had a change of ownership.Once we accredit you through this process, HCFA will deem your organization to be in compliance with federal standards, the Conditions of Participation for home health agencies. HCFA retains the authority to conduct random validation surveys and complaint investigations for Medicare-certified organizations.
The deemed status option applies only to organizations that meet the Medicare definition of a home health agency and are eligible for certification as determined by federal regulations. The term home health includes professional services such as nursing, physical therapy, and speech/language pathology. In conjunction with these services, agencies may also provide home health aides or offer other services such as occupational therapy and medical social work.
Hospices
HCFA approved the Joint Commission’s application for hospice deemed status in June of 1999. Hospice deemed status surveys, like home health deemed status surveys, must be unannounced. The new deemed status option is open to organizations seeking Medicare funding for hospice services as well as those already Medicare certified. Organizations choosing that option will be evaluated against both Joint Commission standards and Hospice Medicare Conditions of Participation. Accreditation remains voluntary and seeking deemed status through accreditation is not a requirement for Medicare certification.
Joint Commission accreditation is voluntary, and seeking deemed status through accreditation is an option, not a requirement. Joint Commission accreditation and Medicare deemed status processes do not eliminate current state requirements for state licensure surveys.
If your organization is interested in Medicare certification through accreditation, you must declare your intention to seek deemed status on the application for survey or by writing to us before your survey. Your letter to Home Care Accreditation Services should include the following:
- your agency’s interest in deemed status
- your Medicare provider number
- the date of your most recent Medicare survey
- your scheduled Joint Commission survey date or date of current
Joint Commission accreditation
For more information on deemed status for your home care organization, call (630) 792-5251. View a list of states recognizing Joint Commission accreditation or certification.