Beginning next week on October 28, 2020 skilled nursing facility providers need only report COVID data to EMResources on a weekly basis. The Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) issued L 20-65 sharing the updated reporting guidance yesterday. This move comes in response the recommendation made by Governor Whitmer’s Nursing Home Task Force to reduce reporting burden on providers.
With the change in reporting frequency, all providers will now be required to report every Wednesday between 7:00 am and 12:00 pm. NOTE: Reporting access to EMResource has been closed effective this morning and will not reopen until Wednesday October 28th for the initial once weekly reporting. Members should be aware that late reporting (after 12:01 pm) on Wednesdays will be flagged by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and MDHHS and may result in enforcement action.
Additional reporting guidance from MDHHS includes:
“All facilities must submit COVID-19 related data to MDHHS by completing all data fields in the “COVID-19 LTC National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Report” within the EMResource platform.
“MDHHS will continue to transmit the facility reported data set to NHSN on the facility’s behalf. Facilities will only need to report in EMResource to satisfy the COVID-19 related MDHHS and CMS reporting requirements. Should a facility choose to submit data directly to NHSN, the requirement to complete EMResource reporting to MDHHS will remain in effect.
“Be advised that MDHHS will transmit all facility data that is received as is. Facilities retain full accountability for ensuring that their submissions meet NHSN requirements. Failure to submit complete data according to requirements can result in both state and federal compliance actions.
“Reporting period: One week, 7-day period, Wednesday through Tuesday. Beginning at 12:01 AM (0001 HRS) Wednesday, ending at 12:00 AM (midnight, or 0000 HRS) Wednesday the day of data submission.
Data submission requirement: Data should be submitted in EMResource once weekly between the hours of 7:00 AM (0700 HRS) and 12:00 PM (noon, or 1200 HRS) on Wednesday.
“Note: While NHSN allows for reporting at least once per week on a self-identified day, MDHHS requires facilities to submit data weekly on a specified day, Wednesday, between the hours of 7:00 AM (0700 HRS) and 12:00 PM (noon, or 1200 HRS) in the EMResource platform. This reporting requirement is intended to be time-limited in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic; it remains in effect until MDHHS notifies providers of its termination.”
MDHHS updated the Reporting Data Collection Instructions to reflect these most recent changes. In addition, a training tool has also been provided by MDHHS covering changes and instructions as well as a data collection spreadsheet that members may find useful.