Question

Who certifies providers’ compliance with CoPs? Explain “Deemed Status.” Is The Joint Commission a regulatory agency?

Answer 1

certifies providers’ compliance with CoPs:

CMS maintains oversight for compliance with the Medicare health and safety standards for laboratories, acute and continuing care providers (including hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies (HHAs), end-stage renal disease (ESRD) facilities, hospices, and other facilities serving Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries), and makes available to beneficiaries, providers/suppliers, researchers and State surveyors information about these activities.

Conducting Investigations and Fact-Finding Surveys - Verifying how well the health care entities comply with the "conditions of participation" (CoPs) or requirements. This is referred to as the "survey process."
Explaining Requirements - Advising providers and suppliers, and potential providers and suppliers in regard to applicable Federal regulations to enable them to qualify for participation in the programs and to maintain standards of health care consistent with the CoPs and Conditions for Coverage (CfCs) requirements.   
Deemed Status:

In order to participate in and receive federal payment from Medicare or Medicaid programs, a health care organization must meet the government requirements for program participation, including a certification of compliance with the health and safety requirements called Conditions of Participation (CoPs) or Conditions for Coverage (CfCs), which are set forth in federal regulations. The certification is achieved based on either a survey conducted by a state agency on behalf of the federal government, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) or by a national accrediting organization.

The Joint Commission, that has been recognized by CMS (through a process called “deeming”) as having standards and a survey process that meets or exceed Medicare’s requirements. Health care organizations that achieve accreditation through a Joint Commission “deemed status” survey are determined to meet or exceed Medicare and Medicaid requirements.

Voluntary deemed status through The Joint Commission is available for:

-Ambulatory surgical centres
-Clinical laboratories
-Critical access hospitals
-Home health agencies
-Hospice agencies
-Hospitals
-Psychiatric hospitals