CMS grants deeming authority to AAAHC - Updata - Brief Article

Healthcare Financial Management, August, 2002

On June 27, 2002, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC) became the third entity granted Medicare Choice deeming authority. Medicare Choice organizations that are licensed as HMOs and PPOs and accredited by AAAHC may receive, at their request, deeming status. To receive such accreditation, the organizations must satisfy requirements relating to assurance, antidiscrimination, access to services, information on advance directives, provider participation rules, and confidentiality and accuracy of enrollee records.

The Balanced Budget Act of 1997 directs CMS to establish and oversee a program that allows private, national accreditation organizations to "deem" that a Medicare Choice organization meets certain Medicare requirements. The intent of the requirements is to ensure that Medicare Choice organizations continue to provide high-quality service to the Medicare beneficiary. Earlier this year, CMS granted deeming authority to the National Committee on Quality Assurance and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

To read the CMS announcement, go to http://www.cms.gov/media/press/release.asp?Counter=466.