Attn: Nursing Home Providers

CMS Memo Issues QSO-20-38-NH Revised September 10, 2021

CMS issued CMS memo QSO-20-38-NH with revised guidance regarding COVID-19 staff testing, frequency of testing and outbreak testing. For additional information, see the guidance from the DHS Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI) program.

Memorandum Summary

• CMS is committed to taking critical steps to ensure America’s healthcare facilities continue to respond effectively to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Public Health Emergency (PHE).
• On August 25, 2020, CMS published an interim final rule with comment period (IFC). This rule establishes Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Testing Requirements for Staff and Residents. Specifically, facilities are required to test residents and staff, including individuals providing services under arrangement and volunteers, for COVID-19 based on parameters set forth by the HHS Secretary. This memorandum provides guidance for facilities to meet the new requirements.
• Revised COVID-19 staff testing is based on the facility’s county level of community transmission instead of county test positivity rate. The frequency of testing has also been updated.
• Facilities now have two options to conduct outbreak testing, through either a contact tracing or broad-based testing approach

DHS Rapid Assistance and Support Team (RAST) for COVID-19 Outbreak

See new information regarding the RAST program. Please note, if the assistance your facility seeks is solely related to a significant staffing shortage, please review the recommendations at Planning for Staff Shortages. If you have exhausted all of these recommendations, contact your
Regional Director for further assistance.

Questions

If you have questions regarding this information, please contact the COVID Testing Task Force atWICovidTest@wi.gov.