Announcing COVID-19: CMS Regulatory Review

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have taken numerous critical steps to ensure U.S. health care facilities are prepared to respond to the threat of disease caused by the 2019 Novel Coronavirus. These actions include deadline extensions, policy waivers, benefit expansions, and a reprioritization of certain surveys to grant flexibilities to skilled nursing operators and allow them to take the necessary steps to provide uninterrupted care to their communities.

The federal response has centered around temporarily removing regulatory barriers while the public health emergency and national emergency remain in effect. CMS’ announcements have come continuously throughout the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic and affect myriad aspects of the seniors housing and care industry, including facility infection control, resident safety, reimbursement, workforce training, and certification requirements. As the COVID-19 crisis endures, CMS will continue to provide additional recommendations and guidance to safeguard residents of these communities.

To keep seniors housing and care operators and investors up to date on the latest policy changes, National Investment Center for Seniors Housing and Care (NIC) is consolidating relevant announcements in a single place with the COVID-19: CMS Regulatory Review. The policy summaries will be available in the NIC COVID-19 Resources Center, along with other complimentary initiatives designed to inform the industry, even at today’s rapid pace of change.