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    09.16.2020 CMS Testing Requirements For LTCFs

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    Michael Howell
    The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued new requirements for long-term care facilities to test residents and staff for COVID-19 on a routine basis. The State Hygienic Laboratory in Iowa does not currently have the capacity to process all of the additional routine staff tests that would be required under the new rule. Facilities are instructed to document any inability to meet the testing requirements due to supply or capacity issues. The State Hygienic Laboratory will continue providing COVID-19 testing support for symptomatic individuals or outbreaks at facilities.

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    09.16.2020 CMS Testing Requirements For LTCFs

    Uploaded by

    Michael Howell
    469 views1 page
    The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued new requirements for long-term care facilities to test residents and staff for COVID-19 on a routine basis. The State Hygienic Laboratory in Iowa does not currently have the capacity to process all of the additional routine staff tests that would be required under the new rule. Facilities are instructed to document any inability to meet the testing requirements due to supply or capacity issues. The State Hygienic Laboratory will continue providing COVID-19 testing support for symptomatic individuals or outbreaks at facilities.

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    Letter to long-term care facilities about routine testing

    Original Title

    09.16.2020 CMS Testing Requirements for LTCFs (1)

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    The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued new requirements for long-term care facilities to test residents and staff for COVID-19 on a routine basis. The State Hygienic Laboratory in Iowa does not currently have the capacity to process all of the additional routine staff tests that would be required under the new rule. Facilities are instructed to document any inability to meet the testing requirements due to supply or capacity issues. The State Hygienic Laboratory will continue providing COVID-19 testing support for symptomatic individuals or outbreaks at facilities.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    469 views1 page

    09.16.2020 CMS Testing Requirements For LTCFs

    Uploaded by

    Michael Howell
    The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued new requirements for long-term care facilities to test residents and staff for COVID-19 on a routine basis. The State Hygienic Laboratory in Iowa does not currently have the capacity to process all of the additional routine staff tests that would be required under the new rule. Facilities are instructed to document any inability to meet the testing requirements due to supply or capacity issues. The State Hygienic Laboratory will continue providing COVID-19 testing support for symptomatic individuals or outbreaks at facilities.

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    of 1

    Date: September 16, 2020

    To: Long Term Care Partners in Iowa


    From: Iowa Department of Public Health
    State Hygienic Laboratory at The University of Iowa
    Re: CMS Testing Requirements for Long-Term Care Facilities
    Contact: For more information, please email [email protected]

    On August 26, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), issued the Interim Final
    Rule CMS-3401- IFC, Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19
    Public Health Emergency related to Long-Term Care Facility Testing Requirements and Revised
    COVID-19 Focused Survey Tool.

    This rule directs long-term care facilities to test residents and staff for COVID-19 based on parameters
    set by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This includes testing of staff and
    residents with symptoms of COVID-19; testing staff and residents in response to an outbreak; and
    conducting routine testing of staff, including consultants, contractors, volunteers and others.

    The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) and State Hygienic Lab (SHL) have worked closely with
    Iowa’s long-term care facilities to provide COVID-19 testing supplies and support to help ensure the
    health of their residents and staff throughout the pandemic. As we have since the start, IDPH and
    SHL will continue to conduct testing in facilities when staff or residents become symptomatic, or when
    cases are identified.

    However, the volume and frequency that will be generated by the new requirement for routine staff
    testing, in addition to the testing already occurring across the state, will exceed the current capacity of
    SHL. Therefore, SHL will be unable to provide and process routine tests for Iowa’s long-term care
    facility staff members for the purpose of complying with the CMS rule.

    IDPH and DIA are aware that HHS intends to supply rapid point-of-care (POC) diagnostic testing
    supplies and equipment to long-term care facilities in Iowa. Information on the availability and use of
    POC testing will be provided as soon as it is available.

    If facilities are unable to meet CMS testing requirements due to supply shortages, lab availability or
    other reasons, they are instructed to document their attempts to perform and/or obtain testing in
    accordance with the guidelines. This letter is intended to serve as documentation that neither SHL,
    IDPH or county public health departments in Iowa can provide testing services for surveillance
    purposes as outlined in CMS-3402-IFC and QSO-20-38-NH.

    SHL will continue to provide testing support for symptomatic staff and residents, close contacts of
    cases, and when working with public health and long-term care facilities if positive cases are
    identified.

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