Tag: Accrediting organization (AO)
In brief: AO oversight finalized, Medicaid oversight tightened, scam campaign launched
June 19, 2026HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) has published a rule finalizing enhanced oversight of accrediting organizations (AOs).
The agency says the rule, “Strengthening Oversight of AO and Preventing AO Conflicts of Interest,” ensures that the organizations responsible for the oversight of more than 9,000 health care providers and suppliers use Medicare standards, and creates greater consistency between State Survey Agencies (SAs) and AOs in their survey processes.
“The...
CMS finalizes plans to increase oversight of AOs
June 18, 2026HME News Staff
WASHINGTON – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) has published a rule finalizing enhanced oversight of accrediting organizations (AOs).
The agency says the rule, “Strengthening Oversight of AO and Preventing AO Conflicts of Interest,” ensures that the organizations responsible for the oversight of more than 9,000 health care providers and suppliers use Medicare standards, and creates greater consistency between State Survey Agencies (SAs) and AOs in their survey processes.
“The...
AOs work to accommodate providers looking to make switch
January 14, 2026Liz Beaulieu, Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine – Accrediting organizations (AOs) say the situation between the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Board of Certification/ Accreditation (BOC) is adding “another layer of complexity” to a major new requirement.
On Dec. 2, about one month before an annual resurvey and reaccreditation requirement went into effect on Jan. 1, CMS removed BOC from its list of approved AOs, leaving...
Stricter AO oversight could increase cost, compliance burden on providers
July 18, 2025Liz Beaulieu, Editor
YARMOUTH, Maine – CMS is proposing stricter requirements for accrediting organizations (AOs), including increasing the amount, specificity and frequency of data they must submit to the agency. But the majority of respondents to a recent HME Newspoll say that’s unnecessary.
Seventy-three percent of respondents say the accreditation program does not need to be updated or enhanced.
“AOs already complete plenty of surveys and info,” wrote one respondent....
Accreditation proposals packed with potential burdens
July 11, 2025Liz Beaulieu, Editor
WASHINGTON – Accrediting organizations (AOs) say CMS’s proposal to reaccredit DMEPOS providers every year will require them to hire additional surveyors and other staff, likely resulting in increased costs for providers.
Currently, CMS requires reaccreditation every three years
“All of the AOs will need surveyors,” said Rhonda Pearce, executive director of HQAA. “We’ll also need more in-office people to manage reports. We’ll all have to...