Is accreditation the same thing as Medicare or Medicaid certification?

September 20, 2009 by admin

No. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) does not recognize nursing home accreditation. Accreditation represents a certification by a private-sector organization (such as the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations or the Long-term Care Evaluation Program) that a nursing home meets certain standards it has established. Accreditation is voluntary for nursing homes and does not affect the home's eligibility to act as a Medicare or Medicaid care provider.