CMS updates nursing home visitation guidance

Editor's Note

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), issued updated guidance on March 10 to help nursing homes safely expand visitation options during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The updated guidance says nursing homes “should allow responsible indoor visitation at all times and for all residents, regardless of vaccination status of the resident, or visitor.”

CMS goes on to say that these recommendations apply, unless certain scenarios arise that would limit visitation for:

• unvaccinated residents—when county positivity rate is more than 10%, and less than 70% of residents are vaccinated
• vaccinated or unvaccinated residents with confirmed COVID-19 infection, until they meet the criteria to discontinue transmission-based precautions
• vaccinated or unvaccinated residents in quarantine, until they meet the criteria for release from quarantine.

CMS also emphasizes that compassionate care visits should be allowed at all times for a resident whose health has sharply declined or is experiencing a significant change in circumstances.

In addition, CMS continues to recommend that nursing homes, residents, and families adhere to mitigation efforts, including physical distancing and conducting outdoor visits whenever possible.