Attn: Nursing Home Providers
IMPORTANT: Nursing Home Visitation – COVID-19 Revised March 10, 2021
QSO-20-39-NH Revised (PDF), Nursing Home Visitation – COVID-19 (REVISED) contains guidance and expectations on how nursing homes can safely facilitate in-person visitation to address the psychosocial needs of residents.
The physical separation from family and other loved ones has taken a physical and emotional toll on residents. CMS Memo QSO-20-39-NH Revised (PDF) provides revised guidance regarding the Core Principles of COVID-19 Infection Prevention, Outdoor Visitation, Indoor Visitation, and Indoor Visitation during an Outbreak, Visitor Testing and Vaccination, Compassionate Care Visits, Required Visitation and more.
Required visitation
Facilities shall not restrict visitation without a reasonable clinical or safety cause, consistent with 42 CFR § 483.10(f) (4) (v). A nursing home must facilitate in-person visitation consistent with the applicable CMS regulations, which can be done by applying the guidance stated in QSO-20-39-NH Revised (PDF). The failure to facilitate in-person visitation without adequate reasons related to clinical necessity or resident safety, would constitute a potential violation of 42 CFR § 483.10(f) (4), and the facility would be subject to citation and enforcement actions.
Additional resources
Questions
If you have questions about this information, please contact your Division of Quality Assurance Bureau of Nursing Home Resident Care Regional Office.
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