CMS' proposed review choice demonstration has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).
 
No details are immediately available about when the demonstration will launch in Illinois. 
 
Review choice is ultimately expected to occur in five states: Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas.
 
CMS originally had hoped to launch the demonstration in Illinois on Dec. 10, 2018, but officials had said the demonstration could not begin until it had received OMB clearance.
 
It's not clear why it took many months for the demonstration to receive clearance, but it's possible the government shutdown contributed to the delay, says Mary Carr, vice president of regulatory affairs for the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC). She also noted that in December, OMB Director Mick Mulvaney took on the role of White House chief of staff.
 
More details about the demonstration will be included in the March 11, 2019, issue of Home Health Line.
 
CMS will post updates about the demonstration at https://go.cms.gov/homehealthRCD.