News Article

Most Recent CMS Guidance on Visitation: Summary and Key Takeaways

April 01, 2021

On March 10, 2021, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued revised visitation guidance.  The guidance eases some of the restrictions on general indoor visitation while maintaining much of the guidance from September 17, 2020.
 
Highlights include:

• Facilities should allow indoor visitation at all times and for all residents except in certain specific circumstances.
• There are now fewer circumstances under which indoor visitation can be completely suspended.
• Fully vaccinated residents can have close contact, including touch, with visitors as long as they wear a mask and practice hand hygiene.
• Visitors should not be required to be tested or vaccinated as a condition of visitation.
• CMS continues to emphasize that facilities shall not restrict visitation without a reasonable clinical or safety cause and that nursing homes must facilitate in-person visitation consistent with the federal nursing home regulations.
• Visitation must be person-centered and “consider the resident’s physical, mental, and psychosocial well-being, and support their quality of life.”

Find our full summary along with our key takeaways and concerns.