§ 424.58 Accreditation.

(a) Scope and purpose. This part implements section 1834(a)(20)(B) of the Act, which requires the Secretary to designate and approve one or more independent accreditation organizations for purposes of enforcing the DMEPOS quality standards for suppliers of DMEPOS and other items or services. Section 1847(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Act requires a DMEPOS supplier to meet the DMEPOS quality standards under section 1834(a)(20) of the Act before being awarded a contract.

(b) Application and reapplication procedures for accreditation organizations. (1) An independent accreditation organization applying for approval or re-approval of authority to survey suppliers for compliance with the DMEPOS quality standards is required to furnish the following to CMS:

(i) A list of the types of DMEPOS supplies, and a list of products and services for which the organization is requesting approval.

(ii) A detailed comparison of the organization's accreditation requirements and standards with the applicable DMEPOS quality standards, such as a crosswalk.

(iii) A detailed description of the organization's operational processes, including procedures for performing unannounced surveys, frequency of the surveys performed, copies of the organization's survey forms, guidelines and instructions to surveyors, quality review processes for deficiencies identified with accreditation requirements, and dispute resolution processes and policies when there is a negative survey finding or decision.

(iv) Procedures used to notify DMEPOS suppliers of compliance or noncompliance with the accreditation requirements.

(v) Procedures used to monitor the correction of deficiencies found during an accreditation survey.

(vi) Procedures for coordinating surveys with another accrediting organization if the organization does not accredit all products the supplier provides.

(vii) Detailed professional information about the individuals who perform surveys for the accreditation organization, including the size and composition of accreditation survey teams for each type of DMEPOS supplier accredited, and the education and experience requirements surveyors must meet. The information must include the following:

(A) The content and frequency of the continuing education training provided to survey personnel.

(B) The evaluation systems used to monitor the performance of individual surveyors and survey teams.

(C) Policies and procedures for a surveyor or institutional affiliate of the independent accrediting organization that participates in a survey or accreditation decision regarding a DMEPOS supplier with which that individual or institution is professionally or financially affiliated.

(viii) A description of the organization's data management, analysis and reporting system for its surveys and accreditation decisions, including the kinds of reports, tables, and other displays generated by that system.