Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare AHCA/NCAL updated their Overview and FAQ document (9-pages) on December 8, 2020. This is an excellent resource document.  Please download and review with your team as we move closer to EUA (Emergency Use Authorization) which could come as early as today – December 10, 2020. I…… Continue reading AHCA/NCAL Updates COVID-19 Pharmacy Partnership for LTC Program Overview/FAQ

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the most recent county positivity data – December 7, 2020. Remember that past data is found in the Archives. Another reminder is that nursing homes are required to conduct testing of residents and staff.  More information about these requirements and guidelines can be…… Continue reading CMS Posts Current County Positivity Rates – December 7, 2020

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has published an Infection Control Basics and Personal Protective Equipment for Essential Caregivers guide for nursing homes, assisted living facilities, intermediate care facilities, hospices and home and community-based services group homes.  This is an 18-page guide with a date…… Continue reading Recent COVID-19 Updates and Information

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare I listened to an extremely informative webinar hosted by CVSHealth/Omnicare on Monday, December 7, 2020.  This webinar spoke very specifically to the steps leading up to and through Phase 1 of the COVID-19 Vaccination Program.  This is the link to the 23 webinar slides for the…… Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Program Information for NHs

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare On Monday, December 7, 2020, HHS Secretary Alex Azar announced the distribution of $523 million in second round performance payments to over 9,000 nursing homes. These nursing homes are being rewarded for successfully reducing COVID-19 related infections and deaths between September and October.  Nursing homes will…… Continue reading New Half Billion Incentive Payment Distribution to Nursing Homes Coming

Lisa Selman-Holman, JD, BSN, RNPresident, Selman-Holman & Associates In an unprecedented move, the CDC has approved new codes for COVID-19 effective with dates of stay January 1, 2021 or later. Code changes are reserved for October 1 each year with April 1 as a date for emergency changes. April 1, 2020 was the effective date…… Continue reading New Codes for COVID-19

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare On November 30, 2020, the GAO (Government Accountability Office) issued a report to the U.S. Congress. “This report examines the federal government’s continued efforts to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and makes 11 new recommendations to federal agencies and raises one new matter…… Continue reading COVID-19: Urgent Actions Needed to Better Ensure an Effective Federal Response (GAO Report)

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers was updated December 1, 2020.  This 42-page document has some red notes within the document, denoting updates.  These include:Page 10 … Postponement of Application Deadline to the Medicare Geographic Classification Review BoardPage 15 … Termination of PBJ…… Continue reading Updated COVID-19 Information, Guidances, Etc. – 1st Week of December 2020

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the latest nursing home  data for the week ending November 22, 2020.

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CDC has updated the COVID-19 Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit.  The current version carries a date of November 2020. The Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit has been updated with an addendum to address proper storage, handling, transport, and emergency handling of COVID-19 vaccines. The addendum will…… Continue reading Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit