The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced updates to the Civil Monetary Penalty Reinvestment Program (CMPRP) in a December 20, 2024 memo to state survey agency directors.

CMS is streamlining the application and state plan review processes to simplify workflows and improve effectiveness, according to the memo.

Beginning January 1, plans and applications will no longer be submitted to the CMS location but directly to the CMS CMPRP team at the federal level. Currently, states submit work plans and applications for the use of CMPRP funds to the CMS location for review and approval.

The CMS CMPRP team will review all state plans and applications, and decision letters will be distributed directly from this team.

While this change streamlines the review and decision processes, the application process does not change and providers will continue submitting applications through the state CMP contact as they have previously done.

CMS also notes in this memo a change to the categories for allowable uses of funds.

The Communication Technology and Visitation Aids category was developed during the public health emergency to facilitate visitation and prevent the spread of COVID infection; however, beginning January 1, new applications will no longer be accepted for this category.

More information on the CMP Reinvestment Program, including categories of allowable uses of funds and state CMP contacts, can be found here.