Effective Jan. 11, HHSC has adopted new COVID-19 vaccination data reporting emergency rules. The rules require nursing facilities and assisted living facilities to accurately report COVID-19 vaccination data for staff and residents to HHSC in the format established by HHSC within 24 hours of completing a round of vaccinations. The data will allow HHSC to accurately track vaccinations of staff …
COVID-19 News & Updates
States are working very hard to speed up COVID-19 vaccination rates. Here are some state plans and dashboards you may want to check out and bookmark for future reference: Texas COVID-19 Vaccination Information COVID-19 Vaccination in Texas dashboard Nebraska Nebraska COVID-19 Vaccination dashboard. On this same dashboard, you can access the COVID-19 cases in Nebraska. Click on the yellow navigation …
New Codes for COVID-19
In an unprecedented move, the CDC has approved new codes for COVID-19 effective with dates of stay January 1, 2021 or later. Code changes are reserved for October 1 each year with April 1 as a date for emergency changes. April 1, 2020 was the effective date for the U07.1 code for COVID-19. New codes effective January 1 include J12.82, …
CMS to Retire the Original Compare Tools on December 1st
CMS will retire the original Compare Tools on December 1st. Use Medicare.gov’s Care Compare to find and compare health care providers. In early September, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released Care Compare on Medicare.gov, which streamlines our eight original health care compare tools. Since then, you’ve had the opportunity to use and familiarize yourself with Care Compare …
NEW: CMS COVID-19 Nursing Home Resource Center
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 fight against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues. Previously, individuals …
Breaking News: Incentive Payments to Nursing Homes Curbing COVID-19 Deaths and Infections
Just a few minutes ago, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced it will distribute approximately $333 million in first round performance payments to over 10,000 nursing homes. These nursing homes are being recognized for demonstrating significant reductions in COVID-19 related infections and deaths between August and September. “These …
Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program
Late afternoon Friday, October 16, 2020, NHSN/CDC sent the following letter to NHSN LTCF Users: Dear NHSN Long-term Care Facility Users, Immunization with a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine is a critical component of our Nation’s strategy to reduce COVID-19 related illness, hospitalizations, and deaths. Early in the COVID-19 vaccination program, there may be a limited supply of COVID-19 vaccine …
Interim Final Rule (IFC), CMS-3401-IFC; Requirements and Enforcement Process for Reporting COVID-19 Data Elements for Hospitals and CAHs
On October 6, 2020, CMS issued this QSO-21-03-Hospitals/CAHs memorandum. This is a 12-page memorandum. Also included with this QSO is a Hospital Mandatory COVID-19 Reporting Enforcement Workflow document: Facilities to Report The following hospitals should report the data elements specified in the table below on a daily basis, except Psychiatric and Rehabilitation hospitals will report weekly: Short term Long term …
Cue the Theme Music from “Jaws”…Flu Season is Right Around the Corner
“The real risk is that we’re going to have two circulating respiratory pathogens at the same time.” This is the statement made by Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to Time magazine last month. He went on to say this: “In high-risk groups we know flu by itself can cause substantial morbidity and …
Breaking News: Fiscal Year 2021 Payment and Policy Changes for Medicare SNFs Final Rule Issued
“On July 31, 2020, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule [CMS-1737-F] for Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 that updates the Medicare payment rates and the value-based purchasing program for skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). CMS is publishing this final rule consistent with the legal requirements to update Medicare payment policies for SNFs on an annual basis. …
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