Attn: Nursing Homes, Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICFs-IID)
CMS Issues Memo: QSO-21-19 – NH Interim Final Rule – COVID-19 Vaccine Immunization Requirements for Residents and Staff
Nursing Homes and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICFs-IID)
On May 11, 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued QSO-21-19 – NH notifying states that CMS has published an interim final rule entitled, Medicare and Medicaid Programs; COVID-19 Vaccine Requirements for Long-Term Care (LTC) Facilities and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICFs-IID) Residents, Clients and Staff.
The interim final rule establishes new requirements for educating residents or resident representatives and staff regarding the benefits and potential side effects associated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and offering the vaccine. The interim final rule goes into effect May 21, 2021.
Nursing Homes
Additionally, CMS added a new requirement for LTC facilities to report COVID-19 vaccine status of residents and staff, each dose of vaccine received, COVID-19 vaccination adverse events, and therapeutics administered to residents for treatment of COVID-19. The data must be reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) system.
CMS will post the data collected on the CMS COVID-19 Nursing Home Data website and be available for viewing by facilities, stakeholders and the general public. CMS will begin reviewing for compliance with the new vaccination reporting requirements on Monday, June 14, 2021.
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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