Section 68-11-282 - Surveyor and investigator training - Coordination with long-term care provider associations(a) As used in this section:(1) "CMS" means the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services;(2) "Long-term care facility" means a nursing facility that is certified under Title XVIII or Title XIX of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. § 1395 et seq. and 42 U.S.C. § 1396 et seq.); and(3) "Long-term care provider association" means the Tennessee Health Care Association, Tennessee Center for Assisted Living, LeadingAge Tennessee, and Argentum.(b) The health facilities commission shall provide training for surveyors and investigators who perform duties related to nursing facilities in this title.(c) The commission and representatives of long-term care provider associations shall evaluate and discuss opportunities for joint training no less than annually or upon the release of any new regulatory guideline, regulation, interpretation, program letter, or memorandum, or other new materials used in surveyor training. Discussions must include training of long-term care providers and health facilities commission survey inspectors and must be conducted jointly on the commission's new expectations and the use of subject matter experts in the field to develop or make available training resources on current standards of practice and the use of technology.(d) The commission shall invite representatives of long-term care provider associations to participate in the planning process for any joint surveyor and provider training session, which may be held in person or remotely, and as often as necessary.(e)(1) The commission may seek approval from CMS to utilize money from the Civil Money Penalty Reinvestment Program to cover the costs of joint training for surveyors and staff of long-term care facilities.(2) If CMS denies the commission's application for funding to cover the cost of an in-person training session, then the commission and the long-term care provider associations shall share in the cost of providing the training.(3) If the training is approved by the commission, then this section does not prohibit a long-term care provider association from offering joint training to its membership and surveyors.Added by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 932,s 25, eff. 7/1/2024.