DARIEN, IL – The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has created a new program that will expedite accreditation applications for sleep facilities impacted by recent changes to Medicare coverage policies for sleep studies.
Earlier this week Medicare contractor Noridian Healthcare Services LLC announced revisions to its local coverage determination (LCD) policy for polysomnography and other sleep studies for Jurisdiction E (L36861) and Jurisdiction F (L34040), affecting sleep facilities in 13 states. By June 5, 2017, these sleep facilities must have sleep-specific accreditation to be eligible for coverage. Similar policy changes also were announced recently by CGS Administrators (L36902) and Wisconsin Physicians Service (L36839).
“By prioritizing and expediting accreditation for facilities that must comply quickly with revised Medicare requirements, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine is helping to ensure that Medicare patients have uninterrupted access to high quality care,” said AASM President Dr. Ronald Chervin.
The expedited accreditation program is open to any sleep facilities in the states that have been affected by recent LCD policy changes:
- Noridian Healthcare Services LLC (Jurisdictions E & F): Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, Wyoming, and select U.S. territories
- CGS Administrators, LLC (Jurisdiction 15): Kentucky and Ohio
- Wisconsin Physicians Service Insurance Corporation (Jurisdictions 5 & 8): Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Nebraska
The AASM will make every effort to accredit expedited facilities as quickly as possible. Depending on a facility’s responsiveness and the thoroughness of its application, the AASM may be able to issue an accreditation decision 2 to 4 weeks after application submission. A facility that is accredited through the expedited program must successfully complete a site visit within the first year of the accreditation term.
The cost to participate in the expedited accreditation program is $4,650 for a 5-year accreditation term, which is the best value in the sleep field. This price includes the standard accreditation fee and access to the online version of the AASM’s 2016 Accreditation Reference Manual, which contains customizable templates that can be used to quickly build the required policy and procedures manual.
To request participation in the expedited accreditation program, sleep facilities must contact the AASM Accreditation Department at 630-737-9700 or accreditation@aasm.org. General information about AASM accreditation is available at https://aasm.org/accreditation/.
AASM facility accreditation is the gold standard by which the medical community and the public evaluate sleep medicine facilities. The AASM began offering accreditation in 1977, and today there are nearly 2,500 AASM-accredited sleep facilities across the U.S.
MEDIA CONTACT: Corinne Lederhouse, 630-737-9700, clederhouse@aasm.org
About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Established in 1975, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) improves sleep health and promotes high quality, patient-centered care through advocacy, education, strategic research, and practice standards. The AASM has a combined membership of 10,000 accredited member sleep centers and individual members, including physicians, scientists and other health care professionals.
