A Skilled Nursing News article highlights that during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services administrator Seema Verna announced changes to the rules governing nursing homes including waiving the requirement of a three-day hospital visit for Medicare to cover an SNF stay. The goal of waiving this requirement was to reserve hospital beds for …
In a recent article published in Skilled Nursing News, they discussed how the COVID-19 isolation units were used to combat the virus in skilled nursing facilities and how they may now be helpful in preventing the spread of influenza. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) took steps in March to make it easier to transfer residents within facilities …
On October 30, 2020, CMS launched a new online platform to serve as a centralized hub bringing together the latest information, guidance and data on nursing homes that is important to facilities, frontline providers, residents, and their families, especially as the fight against COVID-19 continues. The Resource Center consolidates all nursing home information, guidance and resources into a user-friendly, one-stop-shop …
A press release from CMS contains information about a set of toolkits meant to help healthcare systems administer a COVID-19 vaccine when available, new plans to remove regulatory barriers and ensure coverage, and established new rules about vaccine payments. Their toolkits also hold specific information for several programs like Medicare, Medicaid, private plans, and several others. Click below to read …
On October 5th, 2020, CMS sent out a memo regarding compliance related to nursing home residents and their right to vote. CMS made clear that they are affirming the continued right of nursing home residents to exercise their right to vote, while acknowledging the challenges that have arisen with the COVID-19 pandemic. Although visitations are limited and there are new …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services recently updated the way they determine the rate of COVID-19 positivity in counties. This has the potential to affect your facility, as the frequency that many long term care facilities must test their staff is based on the positivity rate in their county. Please read the memo from CMS below to understand what …
MLN Connects Thursday, October 15, 2020 On October 14, CMS expanded the list of telehealth services that Medicare Fee-for-Service will pay for during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). CMS is also providing additional support to state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) agencies in their efforts to expand access to telehealth. The actions reinforce President Trump’s Executive Order …
Contrary to early predictions, a recent study confirmed that CMS Star Rating is not an accurate predictor of whether a center will experience a COVID-19 outbreak. The recent study conducted at Harvard University identified that even though there was no evidence that star rating had a significant effect on facility outbreaks, a concerning finding was that facilities that employ staff …
The nursing home complaint process is a critical safeguard to protect vulnerable residents of nursing homes. CMS relies on the States’ respective survey agencies to serve as the front-line responders to address health and safety concerns raised by residents, their families and nursing home staff. State survey agencies must conduct onsite investigations within certain timeframes for the two most serious …
By AAAASF September 28, 2020 On September 25, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a memo describing instances where Medicare-participating ASCs may use Corrugated Medical Tubing (CMT). Currently, the CMS regulations require compliance with the 2012 NFPA 99 which requires medical gas and vacuum system distribution piping to be rigid copper tubing and does not include provisions …
