Please review the newest rule issued from CMS to understand what it means for your facility. This affects requirements for COVID-19 testing in regards to residents, staff, volunteers, and individuals providing services under arrangement. Read the summary from CMS below and click here to access the full memorandum.

CMS is committed to taking critical steps to ensure America’s healthcare facilities continue to respond effectively to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (PHE).

On August 25, 2020, CMS published an interim final rule with comment period. This rule establishes Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Testing Requirements for Staff and Residents. Specifically, facilities are required to test residents and staff, including individuals providing services under arrangement and volunteers, for COVID-19 based on parameters set forth by the HHS Secretary. This memorandum provides guidance for facilities to meet the new requirements.

Revised COVID-19 Focused Survey Tool -To assess compliance with the new testing requirements, CMS has revised the survey tool for surveyors. We are also adding to the survey process the assessment of compliance with the requirements for facilities to designate one or more individual(s) as the infection preventionist(s) who are responsible for the facility’s infection prevention and control program (IPCP) at 42 CFR § 483.80(b). In addition, we are making a number of revisions to the survey tool to reflect other COVID-19 guidance updates.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services