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CMS Relaxes Frequency of Inspection for Vaccination Requirement Compliance
On June 16, 2022 by LeadingAge
This week, CMS announced that survey oversight of the staff vaccination mandate for Medicare and Medicaid-certified providers and suppliers will continue to be performed during initial and recertification surveys but will now only be performed in response to complaints alleging non-compliance with this requirement, not all complaint surveys. This news comes after CMS determined that 95% of nearly 12,000 providers and suppliers surveyed by states have been in substantial compliance with this requirement.
With New Booster Guidance, What Does “Up-to-Date” Mean for LTC
On June 9, 2022 by Kari Everson
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released updated recommendations for an additional COVID-19 vaccination booster (fourth shot) on May 24. The updates provide a recommendation for a second booster for those people 12 and older if they are moderately to severely immunocompromised and individuals 50 years of age and older.
Nursing Homes Action Alert: Write to CMS to Oppose Proposed Payment Cuts
On May 19, 2022 by LeadingAge
We encourage care centers to participate in a letter-writing campaign targeted at payment cuts proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
Act Now! Advocacy Essential to Ensure Access to Care for Minnesota’s Seniors
On May 19, 2022 by Libbie Chapuran
It’s crunch time on the advocacy front! At the state level, we are in the final days of the legislative session and funding for aging services in still in play. Without our encouragement, funding could easily be left out of a final budget agreement.
CMS Plans Site Visits to Assess HCBS Settings Rule Compliance
On May 10, 2022 by Bobbie Guidry
The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) has been notified by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of their plans to conduct site visits of several provider settings this summer to review their compliance with the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Settings Rule. Site visits will occur the week of July 25.
Reminder: Certain CMS COVID Waivers Expire May 7
On May 5, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
Several of the CMS blanket COVID-19 waivers are expiring on May 7.
In a memorandum released last month, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will terminate several temporary emergency declaration blanket waivers that have provided nursing facilities and other provider types with flexibilities designed to support the COVID response.
Expedited Paid Feeding Assistant Curriculum is Available for Free until June 6!
On April 28, 2022 by Anna Mowry
The expedited Paid Feeding Assistant training allowed by CMS throughout the pandemic will end in June.
Last year, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) modified the minimum training requirement for Paid Feeding Assistants from eight hours to one hour under a waiver from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). In an April 7 Memorandum, CMS announced it will terminate the waiver on June 6.
CMS Updates COVID-19 Test Reporting Requirements
On April 21, 2022 by Kari Everson
The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) updated its test reporting guidance, making reporting negative or inconclusive COVID-19 test results optional for nursing homes.
CMS Issues Updated Vaccine Mandate Survey Guidance
On April 7, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has posted updated interpretive guidance concerning the staff vaccination mandate, with a revision date of April 5. We encourage care centers to review QSO 22-07-ALL (Revised) and the changes to Attachment A.
CMS Announces End Dates for Various COVID Waivers, Including Nurse Aide Certification
On April 7, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
In a Memorandum released on April 7, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that it will terminate several temporary emergency declaration blanket waivers that have provided nursing facilities and other provider types with flexibilities designed to support the COVID response.
As Details of White House Nursing Home Proposal Emerge, More Questions Arise
On March 3, 2022 by LeadingAge
This week President Biden announced a wide-ranging nursing home reform initiative to be implemented by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The announcement was timed to coincide with the State of the Union Address, but President Biden made only a very brief reference to one small part of his reform package in his speech Tuesday evening. After analyzing the proposal, we have more questions than answers, and the timeline for change is unclear.
CMS Staff Vaccination Rule: Phase 2 Deadline is Feb. 28
On February 24, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
Implementation of the CMS staff vaccination mandate continues in full swing, with the Phase 2 compliance deadline arriving on Monday, Feb. 28.
New CMS Resource Available: SNF QRP Public Reporting Tip Sheet
On February 3, 2022 by Julie Apold
CMS has issued a Second Edition Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Quality Reporting Program (QRP) COVID-19 Public Reporting Tip Sheet to help providers understand CMS' public reporting approach to the SNF QRP to account for CMS quality data submissions that were either optional or excepted from public reporting due to the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE).
CMS and CDC National Nursing Home Stakeholder Call
On February 3, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) held a national stakeholder call on Feb. 2 to update its listeners regarding COVID-19, revisions to nursing home guidance, and best practices. The following is a summary for those who could not listen in on the call.
CMS Expected to Post Weekend Staffing and Turnover Data to Care Compare This Week
On January 27, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
As of Wednesday, Jan. 26, CMS is posting new information to the public-facing Care Compare website for nursing homes.
First, CMS has added data about the level of weekend RN staffing and total nurse staffing (e.g., RN, LPN, and CNA), reported in terms of the average number of RN and total nurse hours worked per resident per day on weekends. As presented, the data compares a specific facility’s weekend staffing to the national average and the Minnesota average.
CMS Updates Nursing Home Survey Tools for Staff Vaccination Mandate
On January 27, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
Thursday, Jan. 27, marks Minnesota's Phase 1 compliance deadline for the CMS staff vaccination rule. Surveyors are now reviewing for nursing home compliance with this requirement on all initial certification, standard recertification surveys, and all complaint surveys, regardless of what issue the complaint involves.
Health Care Worker Return-to-Work FAQs
On January 20, 2022 by Kari Everson
The CDC released revisions to their Interim Guidance for Managing Healthcare Personnel with SARS-CoV-2 Infection or Exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and Strategies to Mitigate Healthcare Personnel (HCW) Staffing Shortages on Dec. 23, 2021, significantly changing the return to work guidance for staff who experience high-risk exposures. Several questions have come up in the past few weeks regarding the complexities of the guidance.
LeadingAge Seeks Flexibility for Providers Affected by Kronos Ransomware Attack
On January 13, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
This week LeadingAge and the American Health Care Association sent a joint letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recommending accommodations for skilled nursing facilities impacted by a ransomware attack that human resources company Ultimate Kronos Group faced on Dec. 10, 2021.
CMS to Add Weekend Staffing and Staff Turnover Data to Care Compare and Five-Star
On January 13, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
On Jan. 7, CMS posted QSO-22-08-NH stating that it will publish additional nursing home staffing data to the public-facing Care Compare website beginning this month:
US Supreme Court Upholds CMS Vaccine Mandate, Strikes Down OSHA Vaccine-or-Test Rule
On January 13, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
Nursing homes subject to CMS Rule; Mandate does not apply to assisted living or other HCBS settings
Last Friday, the US Supreme Court heard lengthy oral arguments concerning challenges to the CMS Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination rule and OSHA Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS). Both of these cases were before the court on emergency petitions to determine whether injunctions should be in place, pending trials on the merits of challenges to the respective rules.