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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.
Providers Must Continue Preparation for Implementation of CMS Vaccination Mandate
On January 6, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
As previously reported, CMS has announced that it will begin enforcing its Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination mandate for facilities located in all states where the rule is not currently blocked by a legal injunction, including Minnesota. CMS has not published new information over the past several days, but we wanted to share what we know for any readers who missed our story last week.
Update on OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards
On January 6, 2022 by Jonathan Lips
We continue to monitor the status of the OSHA emergency temporary standards relating to COVID-19, and here is the latest available information.
MDH Discusses Revised CDC Guidance: Return to Work, Expanded Staffing Strategies
On December 30, 2021 by Kari Everson
On the Minnesota Department of Health’s (MDH) long-term care call this week, the Department discussed the updated CDC guidance released on Dec. 23. It appears the CDC guidance will be adopted for our settings. MDH reported it is the intention of CMS to revise the current memos to be in alignment with this guidance. The publication timeline for updated CMS memo(s) is unknown.
CMS Announces Plans to Enforce Staff Vaccination Mandate in Minnesota and Other States
On December 30, 2021 by Jonathan Lips
CMS announced on Dec. 28 that it will begin enforcing its Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination mandate for facilities located in all states where the rule is not currently blocked by a legal injunction, including Minnesota.
Update on Status and Implementation of CMS and OSHA Vaccine Mandates
On December 23, 2021 by Jonathan Lips
Our team is keeping a close watch for news about the CMS staff vaccination mandate and the OSHA vaccine-or-test emergency temporary standard. Here is the latest information about the status and enforcement of these two requirements.
Court Green Lights CMS Vaccination Mandate in 26 States, Next Steps Unclear
On December 16, 2021 by Jonathan Lips
Following an order yesterday by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, the CMS staff vaccination mandate is no longer subject to an injunction in Minnesota and 25 other states. CMS has not yet issued a statement in response to this development.