Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Allow Nursing Home Residents to Use Organizations as Authorized Representatives

This week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ruled that nursing home residents may use organizations as authorized representatives in the Medicaid application and enrollment process.

According to an article on McKnights.com, CMS specifically cited the need for some nursing home residents who do not have family available for assistance to be able to use an organization as his or her representative.

The article noted that this final rule implements several provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Regarding “authorized representatives,” CMS said the new ruling was designed to be “consistent with current state policy and practice.”

The final ruling states that authorized representatives may do such things as sign an application on a resident’s behalf, and also specifies that representatives must follow state and federal laws regarding conflict of interest and confidentiality of information.