CMS's review of an accreditation organization or State licensure program includes, but is not limited to, an evaluation of the following:

(a) Whether the organization's or State's requirements for laboratories are equal to, or more stringent than, the condition-level requirements for laboratories.

(b) The organization's or State's inspection process to determine the comparability of the full inspection and complaint inspection procedures and requirements to those of CMS, including, but not limited to, inspection frequency and the ability to investigate and respond to complaints against its laboratories.

(c) The organization's or State's agreement with CMS that requires it to do the following:

(1) Notify CMS within 30 days of the action taken, of any laboratory that has—

(i) Had its accreditation or licensure suspended, withdrawn, revoked, or limited;

(ii) In any way been sanctioned; or

(iii) Had any adverse action taken against it.

(2) Notify CMS within 10 days of any deficiency identified in an accredited or CLIA-exempt laboratory if the deficiency poses an immediate jeopardy to the laboratory's patients or a hazard to the general public.

(3) Notify CMS, within 30 days, of all newly—

(i) Accredited laboratories (or laboratories whose areas of specialty/subspecialty testing have changed); or

(ii) Licensed laboratories, including the specialty/subspecialty areas of testing.

(4) Notify each accredited or licensed laboratory within 10 days of CMS's withdrawal of the organization's deeming authority or State's exemption.

(5) Provide CMS with inspection schedules, as requested, for validation purposes.