Why OIG Did This Audit. In 2016, CMS updated its life safety and emergency preparedness regulations for health care facilities to improve protections for individuals enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid, including those residing in long-term care facilities (nursing homes). The updates expanded requirements related to sprinkler systems, smoke detector coverage, and emergency preparedness plans. In addition, facilities were required to implement an infection control program. Our objective was to determine whether Georgia ensured that selected nursing homes in Georgia that participated in the Medicare or Medicaid programs complied with Federal requirements for life safety, emergency preparedness, and infection control. How OIG Did This Audit. Of the 358 nursing homes in Georgia that participated in Medicare and Medicaid, we selected a nonstatistical sample of 20 nursing homes for our audit based on certain risk factors, including multiple high-risk deficiencies Georgia reported to CMS. We conducted unannounced site visits at the 20 nursing homes from June through September 2022. During the site visits, we checked for life safety, emergency preparedness, and infection control deficiencies.
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