DARIEN, IL – The expedited accreditation program recently introduced by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) has generated a surge in accreditation applications and is successfully helping sleep facilities comply with recent changes to Medicare coverage policies for sleep studies.
Less than one month after the April 21 launch of the expedited accreditation program, more than 100 facilities have expressed interest in participating, and 22 facilities already have been accredited through the expedited program. Despite the high volume of applications, the AASM has been able to provide exceptional service by issuing an accreditation decision for some facilities in as little as 1 to 3 weeks after application submission. A facility that is accredited through the expedited program must successfully complete a site visit within the first year of the accreditation term.
“The American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s expedited accreditation program is helping to ensure that Medicare patients have uninterrupted access to high quality care for sleep disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea,” said AASM President Dr. Ronald Chervin.
Medicare contractor Noridian Healthcare Services LLC announced in April that sleep facilities in Jurisdiction E and Jurisdiction F must have sleep-specific accreditation to be eligible for coverage for polysomnography and other sleep studies. Sleep facilities in the 13 affected states, including Arizona and California, still have time to become accredited by the AASM before the policy’s effective date of June 5, 2017.
However, applicants are encouraged to contact the AASM as soon as possible to initiate the application process. The length of time from application submission to accreditation decision depends in part on a facility’s responsiveness and the thoroughness of its application.
To request participation in the expedited accreditation program, sleep facilities must contact the AASM Accreditation Department at 630-737-9700 or accreditation@aasm.org. General information about AASM accreditation is available at https://aasm.org/accreditation/.
AASM facility accreditation is the gold standard by which the medical community and the public evaluate sleep medicine facilities. The AASM began offering accreditation in 1977, and today there are nearly 2,500 AASM-accredited sleep facilities across the U.S.
MEDIA CONTACT: Corinne Lederhouse, 630-737-9700, clederhouse@aasm.org
About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
Established in 1975, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) improves sleep health and promotes high quality, patient-centered care through advocacy, education, strategic research, and practice standards. The AASM has a combined membership of 10,000 accredited member sleep centers and individual members, including physicians, scientists and other health care professionals.
