CMS Beyond the Policy: Nursing Home Series for Frontline Clinicians and Staff The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is airing the first episode in a series of short podcasts for frontline nursing home staff. The series is designed to reinforce training and infection control practices in nursing homes to help combat the spread …
CMS Nursing Home Podcast Series for Front Line Clinicians and Staff Read More »
CMS Memo | November 19, 2020 – Today, in advance of the approaching holiday season, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is urging nursing home staff, residents, and visitors to follow established guidelines for visitation and adherence to the core principles of infection prevention. These guidelines include: Remaining six feet apart from individuals …
CMS Urging Nursing Homes to Follow Established COVID-19 Guidelines This Holiday Season Read More »
Agency thanks nursing homes whose staff have completed free CMS training, but urges remaining homes to take advantage of this resource CMS Memo | November 18, 2020 – Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is publicly recognizing the 1,092 nursing homes at which 50% or more of their staff have completed CMS …
CMS Releases Nursing Home COVID-19 Training Data with Urgent Call to Action Read More »
October 30, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a new online platform – the Nursing Home Resource Center – 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 …
CMS’ New One-Stop Nursing Home Resource Center Assists Providers, Caregivers, Residents Read More »
October 26, 2020 – More than 9,000 long-term care providers had signed up for the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program as of this past Friday, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. The deadline is midnight ET on this coming Friday. The program, announced Oct. 16 by HHS and the Department of Defense, involves …
October 30: Deadline for Vaccine Program Sign-Up Read More »
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) wants to help nursing homes prepare for the fall and winter months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Developed to meet the urgent and ongoing needs of nursing home managers and frontline staff, insights gained during the COVID-19 pandemic have been used to create a series of scenario-based trainings …
Free Training: Nursing Home COVID-19 Preparedness for Fall and Winter 2020 Read More »
September 17, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued revised guidance providing detailed recommendations on ways nursing homes can safely facilitate visitation during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. After several months of visitor restrictions designed to slow the spread of COVID-19, CMS recognizes that physical separation from family and other …
CMS Announces New Guidance for Safe Visitation in Nursing Homes Read More »
New training provides education on critical safety measures to keep residents safe August 25, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is implementing an unprecedented national nursing home training program for frontline nursing home staff and nursing home management. The training is designed to equip both frontline caregivers and their management with …
August 25, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a Medicaid Informational Bulletin (CIB) that provides guidance to states on flexibilities that are available to increase reimbursement for nursing facilities that implement specific infection control practices, such as designating a quarantine or isolation wing for COVID-19 patients. Nursing facilities are particularly …
Nursing Home Strategies for COVID-19 Only Isolation of COVID-19 Residents Read More »
Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF) Provider Preview Reports have been updated and are now available. The data contained within the Preview Reports is based on quality data submitted by SNFs between Q1 2019 – Q4 2019 (1/01/19 – 12/31/19) (for assessment-based measures) and Q4 2017 and Q3 2019 (10/01/17 – 9/30/19) (for claims-based measures). The data reflects what …
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the MITRE Corporation has published the membership of the independent Coronavirus Commission on Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes. CMS seeks an independent review and comprehensive assessment of the nursing home response to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The agency tasked the contractor, MITRE, …
June 19, 2020 – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) instructed Medicare Administrative Contactors and notified Medicare Advantage plans to cover coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) laboratory tests for nursing home residents and patients. This instruction follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recent update of COVID-19 testing guidelines for nursing homes …
Medicare Coverage of COVID-19 Testing for Nursing Home Residents and Patients Read More »
In case you missed it, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) posted the second set of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) nursing home data today. The data will be updated weekly going forward; for more information on nursing homes, including a link to the COVID-19 nursing home data, visit Nursing Home Compare. CMS also …
CMS Released Weekly Update of Nursing Home COVID-19 Data as of June 7, 2020 Read More »
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is posting the first set of underlying coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) nursing home data. On April 19, 2020, CMS announced the requirement that nursing homes to inform residents, their families, and their representatives of COVID-19 cases in their facilities. In addition to this, nursing homes are …
Nursing Home COVID-19 Data and Inspections Results Available on Nursing Home Compare Read More »
On June 1, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released a statement on new infection control guidance for nursing homes. The statement describes enhanced accountability measures that come at a time when most organizations are weary from their COVID-19 pandemic efforts. CMS enlisted Quality Innovation Network-Quality Improvement Organizations (QIN-QIOs), like the IPRO QIN-QIO, …
Individualized Technical Assistance for Nursing Homes Read More »
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) continues to support the nation’s COVID-19 response for Long-Term Care Facilities. The NHSN Long-term Care Facility (LTCF) COVID-19 Module webpage has many resources outlining facility enrollment steps and live Q&A opportunities. However here are some specific instructions for unique situations: Your NHSN facility …
CMS announced new guidance for state and local officials to ensure the safe reopening of nursing homes across the country. The guidance released today is part of President Trump’s Guidelines for Opening Up America Again. It details critical steps nursing homes and communities should take prior to relaxing restrictions implemented to prevent the spread of …
Wednesday, May 27, 2020 2-3pm EDT For May’s LTSS webinar, join UNITE (Uniting Tribal Nursing Homes in Excellence) in a panel discussion with nursing home and assisted living facility administrators. The panelists will share their experience in responding to COVID-19, including providing care, programming, and staffing. By the end of the webinar, participants will learn: …
Register for the webinar: Long-term Care Facilities’ Response to COVID-19 Read More »
Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma penned a letter to nursing home management and staff. Administrator Verma shared her gratitude for the unwavering dedication and commitment of nursing home management and staff in keeping residents safe and for continuing to compassionately care for those who rely on them during …
Letter From CMS Administrator to Nursing Home Workers Read More »
CMS issued a memo and frequently asked questions addressing the new requirement that nursing homes and long term care facilities report COVID-19 facility data to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and to residents, their representatives, and their families. This action, included in the recent Interim Final Rule with Comment Period, will support …
Commission will comprehensively examine best practices in responding to COVID-19 in nursing homes As a part of President Trump’s Opening Up America Again effort, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced a new independent Commission that will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the nursing home response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. …
CMS Announces Independent Commission to Address Safety and Quality in Nursing Homes Read More »
CMS is committed to taking critical steps to ensure America’s nursing homes are prepared to respond to the threat of the COVID-19. Nursing Home Compare website & Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System: We are announcing that the inspection domain will be held constant temporarily due to the prioritization and suspension of certain surveys, …
Agencies partner with nursing homes to keep nursing home residents safe Today, under the leadership of President Trump, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced new regulatory requirements that will require nursing homes to inform residents, their families and representatives of COVID-19 cases in their facilities. In addition, as part of President Trump’s …
Trump Administration Announces New Nursing Homes COVID-19 Transparency Effort Read More »
Upcoming webinar: COVID-19 in Indian CountryWednesday, April 22Long-Term Services and SupportsSOLUTIONSTechnical assistance for culturally competent care LTSS Technical Assistance CenterVisit the online LTSS TA Center for videos, best practices, toolkits, a resource library, and a step-by-step planning roadmap. COVID-19 and LTSS in Indian CountryBelow are tips for long-term services and supports (LTSS) facilities and home-based …
Long-Term Services and Supports Solutions Newsletter — April 2020 Read More »
This presentation, led by Dr. Kara Jacobs Slifka, describes action that nursing homes and assisted living facilities can take to protect residents and staff from COVID-19.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is committed to taking critical steps to ensure America’s health care facilities are prepared to respond to the threat of disease caused by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). On Friday, March 13, 2020, the President declared a national emergency, which triggers the Secretary’s ability to authorize waivers …
As part of the broader Trump Administration announcement today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced critical new measures designed to keep America’s nursing home residents safe from the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The measures take the form of a memorandum and is based on the newest recommendations from the Centers for Disease …
CMS is committed to taking critical steps to ensure America’s health care facilities and clinical laboratories are prepared to respond to the threat of the COVID-19. CMS is providing additional guidance to nursing homes to help them improve their infection control and prevention practices to prevent the transmission of COVID-19, including revised guidance for visitation. …
