CMS requires nursing homes to report COVID-19 vaccination rates

The Biden administration is requiring long-term care and nursing home facilities to report weekly COVID-19 vaccination data for both residents and staff.

The goal of the requirement included in an interim final rule announced Tuesday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is to identify facilities that could need more help to respond to the pandemic.

“These new requirements reinforce CMS’ commitment of ensuring equitable vaccine access for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries,” said Lee Fleisher, M.D., chief medical officer and director of CMS’ Center for Clinical Standards and Quality.

Long-term care facilities are already required to report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 tests, cases and mortality data. They have not been required to report vaccination data, but now must report it every week to the CDC.

The agency aims to post vaccination status information on CMS’ Nursing Home Data website.

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The rule also requires long-term care facilities and intermediate care facilities that treat individuals with intellectual disabilities to offer information to educate residents and staff about the vaccine.

CMS is also asking for public comments on the potential application of “these or other requirements to other congregate living settings over which CMS has regulatory or other oversight authority,” the interim final rule said.

The American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living, which represents more than 14,000 nursing homes and long-term care facilities, supported the rule but with some caveats.

“It is important that we not judge facilities with low vaccination rates, but instead, seek to understand whether additional resources or outreach can be done to encourage more staff and residents to get the vaccine, or help facilities acquire additional vaccines for new patients and hires,” said David Gifford, chief medical officer of the group.

Nursing homes were hit hard at the onset of the pandemic as facilities saw skyrocketing COVID-19 cases among residents and staff. The industry has also seen major employment declines throughout 2020.