The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) hit a snag last week in seeking approval of a proposal that requires hospitals to have antimicrobial stewardship programs participating in Medicare and Medicaid programs.
The ruling has been delayed until Nov. 10 as the overseeing agency awaits a new administrator.
“Generally speaking, when there’s a transition of administrations there is a grace period,” Jillanne Schulte, director of federal regulatory affairs for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, said. “It’s not required, but it’s sort of a courtesy period where agencies do not finalize new rules until new administration takes office.”
Last month, the Department of Health and Human Services issued the final date for antimicrobial stewardship programs for June 2019, which is the legal deadline to finalize the rule.
“This is a fairly large rule, and there are costs attached to it,” Schulte said. “So there’s a chance that the new administrator will want to review it before it becomes public.”
President Donald Trump has nominated Seema Verma at the next administrator of CMS and Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) for secretary of HHS. Their confirmation have not been set.
Proposed CMS antimicrobial program hits delay with presidential transition
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