FEDERAL INFORMATION
CMS/HHS
- 10-1-2020 | Phase 3 Application for Provider Relief Opens Oct 5
- 10-1-2020 | CMS Updates Testing Frequency Methodology
- 10-1-2020 | CMS Releases Memo Reiterating Emergency Prep Guidance
- 9-11-2020 | CMS Hosts Testing Webinar: Abbott Rapid Tests to be Sent to Some Nursing Homes
- 9-9-2020 | CMS Nursing Home Testing Call September 8th summary. The presentation is here. Seema Verma and the CMS survey team gave a broad overview of the Interim Final Rule and the Infection Control Training Program. She stressed the call to action to nursing homes for infection control, testing, and training to continue to mitigate the spread of COVID. Admiral Brett P. Giroir, MD, reported that to date: 13,477 testing instruments have been sent to 13,343 NH and 4.7 million tests. This week 507 instruments with 192,000 tests will be sent to nursing homes. He also discussed using the antigen test kits to test residents 1x and staff 2x under this initiative. Once the initial supply of tests are used, providers can use the PRF funding to acquire testing kits from the two vendors…all the tests have been taken by HHS. A call is scheduled this week with BD outlets so NHs are prioritized. There was a discussion regarding asymptomatic testing. Please follow the Aug. 24th FDA FAQ and the Aug 28th CMS statement and use antigen testing on asymptomatic individuals and review the PREP ACT coverage. Overall, antigen tests are acceptable under FDA and states should accept them as if they do not, they are violating a federal mandate. In addition, HHS purchasing 150 million antigen tests on the Abbott card, using nasal swabs that will be distributing next week. There will be 750,000 to nursing homes in red/yellow zone counties. These cards should be used to supplement PCR testing or POC antigen tests to lessen the burden and rotate the type of tests used.
- 9-9-2020 | HHS Announces $2B in Infection Control Incentive Payments
- 9-2-2020 | CMS published the new testing Interim Rule on September 2nd – IN EFFECT NOW
- 9-1-2020 | Provider Relief Funds Application Opens to Private Pay Assisted Living. Applications due by September 13th
- 8-25-2020 | CMS Releases Interim Final Rule on Testing of Nursing Home Staff, Other Provisions
- 8-17-2020 | CMS-CDC Fundamentals of COVID-19 Prevention for Nursing Home Management
- 8-12-2020 | National CMS/CDC Nursing Home COVID-19 Training Series Webcast
- 7-24-2020 | Nursing Homes Blanket Waivers Chart.
- 7-22-2020 | Provider Relief Funds Reporting Timelines Announced.
- 7-17-2020 | CLIA Waiver to Receive Federal Testing Kits.
- 7-17-2020 | SNF QRP Non-Compliance Notices Available, Reconsideration Requests Due Aug. 18.
- 7-15-2020 | Feds Plan to Deliver Rapid-Results Testing Equipment and Tests to All Nursing Homes.
- 7-15-2020 | CMS Extends Deadlines for HCBS Settings Rule.
- 7-6-2020 | CMS Toolkit on State Actions to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence in Nursing Homes.
- 6-29-2020 | CMS Announces Changes to 5-Star Rating System; End of Staffing Submission Waiver.
- 6-29-2020 | HHS Clarifies Provider Relief Medicaid Distribution Application Items.
- 6-26-2020 | Medicare Part A Cost Report: New Online Status Tracking Feature Call — July 9.
- 6-26-2020 | Life Safety Experts On 1135 Waivers Compliance for Nursing Homes.
- 6-26-2020 | New CMS Memo Revokes PBJ Waiver.
- 6-26-2020 | CMS Issues Visitation FAQs.
- 6-15-2020 | Article on Provider Relief Fund clarifications on Medicaid distribution.
- 6-15-2020 | Is CMS saying your Nursing Home didn’t report into NHSN? Here are the Top 4 Reasons CMS Thinks Your Nursing Home Did Not Report into NHSN.
CDC
OSHA
NHSN
- 8-12-2020 | New NHSN data elements, contained within the Resident Impact and Facility Capacity pathway, aim to improve understanding of barriers to testing. Providers will report on a number of data elements including ability to perform testing or to obtain resources, such as assistance from the local health department or a strike team, to perform testing; barriers to testing including lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) or testing supplies, a shortage of trained staff to perform the testing, lack of access to labs that can process tests, and questions around reimbursement; and turn-around times for receiving test results. NHSN will also collect data on whether the long-term care facility has completed facility-wide testing during the reporting period and if so, what the reasons were for completing facility-wide testing. Review the Table of Instructions for this pathway for more information. Recordings of past webinars, and other resources including Tables of Instructions for other pathways can all be accessed at the NHSN LTCF COVID-19 module site.
FEMA
HUD
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