Important Announcements from CMS
On a call yesterday, CMS Administrator Seema Verma made two key announcements:
1. CMS or state surveyors will be calling nursing homes who report new cases of COVID and/or report shortages of PPE and/or staffing to offer assistance. They will ask several questions to see how they can help the facility acquire resources such as staffing, PPE, or testing supplies.
We have heard that these questions may be similar to:
- Do you have enough PPE in the facility for one week?
- Do you have enough staff in the facility to care for residents in proper cohort sections?
- What percentage of your staff completed the CMS/CDC training online?
- What is the frequency of resident/staff testing currently?
- How did your outbreak occur (staff, residents, visitor, vendor, other)?
- What is the availability of test kits? For all residents/all staff? How long will they last?
If you receive one of these calls, please let AHCA know your experience, including any resulting assistance, by emailing [email protected].
2. CMS will be publishing a list of facilities who have completed the CMS 3 to 4 hour QIO trainings.
