Upcoming Changes to Reporting Negative Antigen Results

Posted on March 24, 2022 by Kari Everson

The federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) updated the reporting requirements for COVID-19 point of care (POC) tests. The update to section 18115 of the Cares Act changes the facility’s reporting requirements for negative point of care (POC) test results.

 Under the current guidance, all test results, either positive or negative, must be reported when an organization performs a POC test. The updated language will require reporting of only positive POC antigen test results; and will no longer require reporting negative test results. This updated guidance implementation begins April 4. 

There is a slight difference for assisted living providers versus nursing home providers. Assisted living organizations may implement the reporting change as of April 4; however, nursing home providers will need to wait until the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) updates their quality and safety oversight memo, QSO-21-10-CLIA. Under the current CMS requirement nursing homes must continue to report negative antigen tests results. Fortunately, CMS is in the process of revising this memo to match the Cares Act updates from HHS. Once the CMS memo revision is published, nursing homes may transition to reporting positive results only.

For questions concerning COVID-19 testing and reporting results, please contact Kari Everson.