The new rule, announced Aug. 25, was implemented to support federal and state efforts to identify early spread of the virus and allocate personal protective equipment and other resources, CMS said.
Previously, testing in nursing homes was just recommended, not enforced. CMS said it will hold nursing homes accountable by sending surveyors to inspect them to make sure they’re adhering to the new testing requirements. Facilities that don’t comply will be cited and may have to pay fines as much as $400 per day.
The nursing homes will be required to report the test results as required under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
CMS said it will recommend how frequently nursing homes should test their staff based on the degree of community spread and indications that a facility may be at an increased risk for COVID-19 transmission. The agency will announce recommendations shortly, it said.
CMS said it is helping to offset the cost of testing through new funding through the CARES Act.
Read the full news release here.
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