CMS phasing out certain COVID-19 emergency blanket waivers

Certain emergency blanket waivers issued for nursing homes, skilled nursing facilities and other settings in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency will end in 30 or 60 days, depending on the waiver, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced today.  

“With steadily increasing vaccination rates for nursing home residents and staff, and with overall improvements seen in nursing homes’ abilities to respond to COVID-19 outbreaks, CMS is taking steps to phase out certain flexibilities that are generally no longer needed to re-establish certain minimum standards while continuing to protect the health and safety of those residing in skilled nursing facilities/nursing facilities,” CMS said. “Similarly, some of the same waivers are also being terminated for inpatient hospices, intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities, and end-stage renal disease facilities.”

COVID-19 emergency blank waivers issued for hospitals and critical access hospitals will remain in effect, the agency said.