On May 11, 2021, with QSO-21-19-NH, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the update of nursing home and intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ICF/IID) regulations to establish facility requirements for COVID-19 immunization. The interim final rule, CMS-3414-IFC adds requirements for nursing homes at 42 CFR 483.80 and for ICF/IID at 42 CFR 483.460. A comment period about the rules is open for 60 days after the rule is published. The new requirements for both settings are related to:

• Educating residents/clients or their representatives, and staff regarding the benefits and potential side effects associated with the COVID-19 vaccine in a manner they can understand;
• Offering the vaccine; and
• Documentation for staff and residents/clients about the education, the decision to accept or decline the vaccine, contraindications to the person receiving the vaccine, and administration of the vaccine, if applicable.
• If a staff member is not eligible for COVID-19 vaccination because of previous immunization at another location or outside of the facility, the facility should request vaccination documentation from the staff member to confirm vaccination status.

Additionally, for nursing homes, there are new requirements to report COVID-19 vaccine and therapeutics treatment information to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN), a division of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Read full letter here.

Questions?

Contact:

Laura Hofmann, MSN, RN – Director of Clinical and Nursing Facility Regulatory Services
c: 425-231-4804