• a link to a recording of yesterday’s webinar and slides;
• quick links to key documents including the text of the interim final rule, the QSO memo, the webpage with the county positivity rates, and related resources from AHCA;
• information to help you report your testing results to VDH; and
• info on the new Terms and Conditions for the most recent round of Provider Relief Funds.

• CMS Interim Final Rule on Testing of Staff and Residents – Note: the rule will take effect on September 2 when it is officially published in the Federal Register.

• QSO-20-38-NH: Interim Final Rule (IFC), CMS-3401-IFC, Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency related to Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Testing Requirements and Revised COVID19 Focused Survey Tool

• CMS COVID-19 Nursing Home Data webpage – See the section on “COVID-19 Testing” for a link to the rates of county positivity. You should monitor these rates every other week and adjust staff testing accordingly. 

• AHCA Summary of Testing and Reporting Requirements - This resource summarizes the QSO memos and the guidance established by CMS for testing and reporting.

• CMS Testing Requirements: Steps to Get Started - This resource is geared toward providers who are not routinely testing and need to quickly implement a testing program. 

• Office Hours: Meeting CMS' Testing Requirements – 9/2, 9/3 and 9/4 at 4:00 pm -AHCA will host a series of “office hours” with staff experts Dr. David Gifford, Courtney Bishnoi, and Jill Sumner to briefly review the new requirements and guidance and answer any questions providers may have. The office hours are scheduled for September 2, 3 and 4 at 4:00 pm. Webex information is as follows:

• Webinar: Batch Testing on the Sofia2 - 9/3 at 3:00 pm - Quidel will be hosting a webinar for AHCA on Thursday, September 3 at 3:00 pm to explain how providers can conduct a high volume of tests in a short period of time using the Sofia2 batch testing functionality.

• Rapid Point-of-Care Antigen Devices: What SNFs Need to Know - This resource offers steps providers need to take when they receive their rapid point-of-care antigen devices from HHS.

• The archived recording of the AHCA member webinar, CMS’s New Testing Requirements for Staff & Residents: What you Need to Know is now ready for you to view at your convenience. Click this link to the ahcancalEd site and log in using your AHCA/NCAL username and password. Once the page opens, click on the “View Archived Recording" button on the right hand side of the page. The presentation will open in a new window for you to view and hear the program. Click on the Handout tab to download your copy of the handouts and other available materials. For questions or support, please email [email protected].

• All negative and positive cases are required to be reported to VDH Local Health Departments. (Note: labs report molecular test results; you would be responsible for reporting any point-of-care testing results).
• Reporting of positive cases to OLC via the Facility Reported Incident (FRI) process should continue.
• You should continue your weekly NHSN reporting.

• Costs associated with administering COVID-19 testing, which means an in vitro diagnostic test defined in section 809.3 of title 21, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations) for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 or the diagnosis of the virus that causes COVID–19, and the administration of such a test, that:
• Is approved, cleared, or authorized under section 510(k), 513, 515, or 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 360(k), 360c, 360e, 360bbb–3);
• The developer has requested, or intends to request, emergency use authorization under section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 360bbb–3), unless and until the emergency use authorization request under such section 564 has been denied or the developer of such test does not submit a request under such section within a reasonable timeframe;
• Is developed in and authorized by a State that has notified the Secretary of Health and Human Services of its intention to review tests intended to diagnose COVID-19; or
• Other test that the Secretary determines appropriate in guidance.
• Reporting COVID-19 test results to local, state, or federal governments.
• Hiring staff, whether employees or independent contractors, to provide patient care or administrative support.
• Expenses incurred to improve infection control, including activities such as implementing infection control “mentorship” programs with subject matter experts or changes made to physical facilities.
• Providing additional services to residents, such as technology that permits residents to connect with their families if the families are not able to visit in person.”