42 CFR § 488.1105 - Definitions.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t42/s488.1105"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "42 CFR § 488.1105 - Definitions."
title_number: 42
title_name: "Public Health"
section_number: "488.1105"
section_name: "Definitions."
chapter_name: "CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES"
subchapter_number: "G"
subchapter_name: "STANDARDS AND CERTIFICATION"
part_number: "488"
part_name: "SURVEY, CERTIFICATION, AND ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "42 U.S.C 1302 and 1395hh."
regulatory_source: "53 FR 22859, June 17, 1988, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "488"
---


# 488.1105 Definitions.

As used in this subpart—

*Abbreviated standard survey* means a focused survey other than a standard survey that gathers information on hospice program's compliance with specific standards or conditions of participation. An abbreviated standard survey may be based on complaints received or other indicators of specific concern.

*Complaint survey* means a survey that is conducted to investigate substantial allegations of noncompliance as defined in § 488.1.

*Condition-level deficiency* means noncompliance as described in § 488.24.

*Deficiency* is a violation of the Act and regulations contained in part 418, subparts C and D, of this chapter, is determined as part of a survey, and can be either standard or condition-level.

*Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP)* means a program conducted by CMS to identify hospices as poor performers, based on defined quality indicators, in which CMS selects hospices for increased oversight to ensure that they meet Medicare requirements. Selected hospices either successfully complete the SFP program or are terminated from the Medicare program.

*IDR* stands for informal dispute resolution.

*Noncompliance* means any deficiency found at the condition-level or standard-level.

*SFP status* means the status of a hospice provider in the SFP with respect to the provider's progress in the SFP, which is indicated by one of the following status levels:

(1) Level 1—in progress.

(2) Level 2—completed successfully.

(3) Level 3—terminated from the Medicare program.

*SFP survey* means a standard survey as defined in this section and is performed after a hospice is selected for the SFP and is conducted every 6 months, up to 3 occurrences.

*Standard-level deficiency* means noncompliance with one or more of the standards that make up each condition of participation for hospice programs.

*Standard survey* means a survey conducted in which the surveyor reviews the hospice program's compliance with a select number of standards or conditions of participation or both to determine the quality of care and services furnished by a hospice program.

*Substantial compliance* means compliance with all condition-level requirements, as determined by CMS or the State.

[86 FR 62425, Nov. 9, 2021, as amended at 88 FR 77879, Nov. 13, 2023]