The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published its proposed rule to adopt the 2012 edition of the Life Safety Code (LSC) and has been doing the due diligence required by the Administrative Procedures Act of 1946, including calculating the estimated cost to healthcare organizations to implement the rule, according to an article on the FacilityCare website.
Some of those estimated costs include:
• Installing sprinklers in high-rise hospitals: $78.9 million
• Installing self-closing doors on hazardous rooms in ambulatory surgical centers: $1.35 million
• Upgrading fire alarm systems in intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities: $6.38 million
• Installing attic sprinklers in intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities: $25.84 million
Along with the proposal, CMS has also made changes and clarifications to other related issues.