All North Carolina nursing homes, combination homes, adult care homes and family care homes (LTC Facilities) must now include with their admission material the emergency visitation policy (EVP) that will be in effect when...more
On January 13, 2022, by a vote of 5-4, the U.S. Supreme Court stayed a pair of injunctions that had prevented implementation of the CMS Vaccine Mandate in 24 states. The Supreme Court’s ruling means that, for now, the CMS...more
To assist health care providers that will soon be required to enforce a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services issued guidance on December 28, 2021 regarding updated timelines for compliance...more
12/30/2021
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) ,
Compliance ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Health Care Providers ,
Healthcare Workers ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Religious Exemption ,
SCOTUS ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing
A nationwide injunction that prevented a health care worker COVID-19 vaccine mandate from taking effect has now been narrowed by a federal appellate court to apply only in the states involved in the lawsuits against the...more
In a preliminary injunction issued on Tuesday, November 30, 2021, a federal judge in Louisiana temporarily blocked the implementation and enforcement of an interim final rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services...more
In a preliminary injunction issued on Monday, November 29, 2021, a federal judge in Missouri blocked the implementation and enforcement in 10 states of an interim final rule by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services...more
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published the Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Interim Final Rule, requiring vaccination of all staff at health care facilities that participate in the...more
On September 10, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) offered updates regarding its Provider Relief Fund program, including $25.5 billion in new funding that will soon be made available to health care...more
On January 15, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services opened the reporting portal for individuals who had received Provider Relief Funds (PRF) from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES)...more
An additional $20 billion in “Provider Relief Funds” is being made available pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act through a “Phase 3” General Distribution. However, time is running out...more
On September 19, 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services published details regarding the highly awaited Post-Payment Notice of Reporting Requirements.
Providers that have previously received more than...more
Mental Health/substance abuse providers and providers treating HIV/AIDS patients are held to a higher standard when it comes to protecting medical records, requiring additional levels of consent and analysis prior to...more
On June 1, 2020 CMS published QSO-20-31-All. It is effective immediately and provides in part as follows:
(1) States will need to perform focused infection control surveys (FICS) of 100% of the certified nursing homes in...more
On May 8, 2020, CMS published an Interim Rule, one portion of which is focused on new reporting requirements for skilled nursing facilities. The new reporting requirements, effective May 8, 2020, fall into two categories: (a)...more
As part of the CARES Act's Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (Provider Relief Funds), $100 billion was to be made available to a wide array of providers ? including public entities, Medicare- or...more
On April 10, 2020 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) distributed the first $30 billion in funds allocated in the CARES Act as part of the Public Health and Social Services Emergency Fund (PHSS Relief...more
The President's declaration of a national emergency gave the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services the ability to authorize waivers or modifications of certain requirements of Section 1135 of the Social...more
On March 17, 2020, the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued guidance specifically related to PACE organizations regarding infection control and prevention of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The guidance emphasized...more
Except in certain compassionate care situations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has called for extremely strict limitations on visitation at nursing homes to stem the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic...more
Effective March 4, 2020, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the suspension of non-emergency survey inspections of nursing homes in order to focus on infection control complaints...more
In a letter filed with a federal judge, lawyers for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services agreed last week to a four-month delay before implementing a new rule that would strengthen protections for health care...more
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has published a Final Rule that aims to strengthen protections for health care providers against having to provide services that violate their conscience, such as...more