Medicaid program; inpatient psychiatric services benefit for individuals under age 21--HCFA. Final rule

This final rule amends the CFR by adding a choice of accreditation organizations that a State Medicaid agency may use to fulfill the requirement for Medicaid approval of, and payment to, psychiatric facilities other than psychiatric hospitals or psychiatric units of acute care hospitals, that provide the "inpatient psychiatric services benefit for individuals under age 21". In response to comments received on a prior proposed rule, we are retaining the requirement for accreditation of psychiatric facilities, but we are offering alternatives to accreditation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Health Care Organizations. Accreditation of psychiatric facilities, other than psychiatric hospitals and psychiatric units in acute care hospitals, could be performed by the Council on Accreditation of Services for Families and Children, the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, or any other accrediting body with comparable standards that is recognized by the State. This change is being made while we continue to develop HCFA standards for psychiatric facilities based on our evaluation of the comments that we received on the proposed standards that were published in the NPRM. All of the comments on the remaining provisions of the proposed rule will be addressed in a second final rule to be published at a future date.