New Guidance Forthcoming from OIG/DAIL

New Guidance Forthcoming from OIG/DAIL

We received the following from Keith Knapp from CHFS on Friday:

Announcements from the CDC & CMS are acknowledging that vaccinations are working and should be considered in a provider’s strategy for safely facilitating group activities, communal dining and visiting, as well as for managing the optimal frequency for surveillance testing. The following is content from a memo sent from Inspector General Adam Mather & Secretary Friedlander last Wednesday:

With the exciting recent news from CDC & CMS about changes in federal guidance concerning the impact of vaccination status on both dining-activities-visiting and on testing frequency, we will be adjusting the KY guidance on the same subjects shortly so they align. OIG will be surveying in accordance with the new CMS & CDC guidance.

Interim Final Rule, LTC Facility Testing Requirements (4/27/2021)

https://www.cms.gov/medicareprovider-enrollment-and-certificationsurveycertificationgeninfopolicy-and-memos-states-and/interim-final-rule-ifc-cms-3401-ifc-additional-policy-and-regulatory-revisions-response-covid-19-0 (*)

(*) – you can cut out a step by going directly to: Interim Final Rule “QSO-20-38-NH” available at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-38-nh-revised.pdf)

Expect to see announcements early this week bringing the KY-CHFS guidance on the same topics into alignment with the federal changes. Until then, please advise members/providers to apply the federal guidance. (One notable change will be the key on the KY LTC County Indicator, making the lowest incidence rate – yellow and green – adjusted from bi-weekly to monthly testing frequency, but subject to the conditions set forth in the QSO.)

Also, KDPH will be sending a quick poll to LTCFs that received POC antigen testing equipment directly from HHS in the fall to identify those who might be willing to have the machines re-allocated to other community agencies near them for ongoing testing demands (local health dept, community hospital, etc). Please encourage folks to participate in the survey, which should only take someone about 3 minutes to complete (if I can do it, anyone can). I know people are suffering from “survatigue,” but this is a one-off and result in a huge community benefit.