CMS issues revised draft guidance on health care use of blood glucose meters

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on Friday temporarily withdrew guidance for state survey agencies regarding the use of blood glucose strip meters in hospitals and other health care settings, issuing revised draft guidance on the issue for public comment only. The original guidance, issued last November, prompted considerable feedback regarding blood glucose monitoring systems that are approved as waived devices under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, CMS said. In the draft guidance, CMS seeks additional feedback regarding the use of the waived systems; the environments in which they are used; and any issues that hospitals and other providers have identified with their use. In addition to seeking comments on the guidance, the agency said it plans to create additional forums for discussion of those issues. AHA plans to submit comments on the draft guidance.