CMS unveiled a tool Sept. 21 that allows users to track COVID-19 vaccination rates among nursing home staff and residents.
The tool, available on Medicare.gov, allows users to compare vaccination rates between different facilities.
"CMS wants to empower nursing home residents, their families and caregivers with the information they need when choosing care providers for their loved ones," said Chiquita Brooks-LaSur, CMS administrator. "As we continue to work with our partners to monitor the spread of COVID-19 and keep nursing home residents safe, we want to give people a new tool to visualize this data and help them make informed decisions."
The agency along with the CDC will also monitor the data to identify facilities that may need additional help amid the pandemic.
Since May, nursing homes certified by Medicare and Medicaid have been required to report weekly COVID-19 vaccination data to the CDC.
Nationwide, about 84 percent of nursing home and long-term care facility residents were vaccinated as of Sept. 5, while about 64 percent of staff were vaccinated, CMS data shows.
In August, the White House announced that all nursing home and long-term care facilities must vaccinate their staff in order to continue receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding.