Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted the county positivity rates for August 4 through August 17, 2021. Reminder that previous positivity rates are available on designated sheets/tabs at the bottom of the spreadsheet.

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare On Friday, August 20, 2021, AHCA/NCAL sent this letter to the Secretary of Health and Human Services – Xavier Becerra and the Administrator of CMS – Chiquita Brooks-LaSure.  The letter, signed by Mark Parkinson (President and CEO of the organization) speaks to the mandating of COVID-19…… Continue reading AHCA/NCAL Urge Administration to Consider Implications of Vaccination Policy

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Just announced FDA Press Release (August 23, 2021): Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals…… Continue reading BREAKING NEWS: FDA Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted NH COVID-19 data for week ending August 8, 2021. CDC’s COVID-19 Dashboard shows this data: As of August 12, 2021: NHSN LTC Dashboard … August 16, 2021: As you can see, the cases as well as the deaths of both residents and…… Continue reading Updated COVID-19 Data Posted by CMS, CDC and NHSN

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare Late afternoon, Wednesday August 18, 2021, public health and medical experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the following statement on the Administration’s plan for COVID-19 booster shots for the American people:  “The COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States continue…… Continue reading Joint Statement from HHS Public Health and Medical Experts on COVID-19 Booster Shots

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare This AHCA/NCAL Press Release was posted late the afternoon of August 18, 2021 following President Biden’s announcement.  Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living (AHCA/NCAL) made the following statement today regarding the Biden Administration’s announcement on…… Continue reading AHCA/NCAL Reacts to Administration’s COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for NH Staff

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare President Biden spoke to the nation this afternoon to announce additional action to protect America’s NH residents from COVID-19.  That action: CMS will issue new regulation requiring nursing homes to implement a requirement that all staff be vaccinated against COVID-19. Here is that Press Release. …… Continue reading BREAKING NEWS: CMS and CDC Developing Emergency Regulation Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination of LTC Staff

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare CMS has posted county positivity rates for July 28 – August 10, 2021.  Visually, there is a lot more red on this spreadsheet than there was last week.  Take a look at the county your facility is in as well as the counties that your staff…… Continue reading CMS Posts Updated COVID-19 County Positivity Rates

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDP Clinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare The subtitle of this website (same title as this blog) is Medicare Part B Payment for COVID-19 Vaccines and Certain Monoclonal Antibodies during the Public Health Emergency.  The website was updated on August 16, 2021. CMS has released a set of toolkits for providers, states and insurers to…… Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccines and Monoclonal Antibodies

Mary Madison, RN, RAC-CT, CDPClinical Consultant – Briggs Healthcare This CDC website – COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People – was updated August 16, 2021. The above information will help you determine who should receive an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine at this time. There’s also more information including Frequently Asked Questions and…… Continue reading COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People