CMS Updates Nursing Home Visitation FAQs

1/11/22 — CMS has updated its “Nursing Home Visitation FAQs” document to provide additional clarification on its revised guidance issued in November 2021. The key message is that visitation must be permitted at all times with very limited and rare exceptions, in accordance with residents’ rights. Nursing homes should enable visitation following these three key points:

• Adhere to the core principles of infection prevention, especially wearing a mask, performing hand hygiene, and practicing physical distancing;

• Don’t have large gatherings where physical distancing cannot be maintained; and

• Work with your state or local health department when an outbreak occurs.

See also the CMS infographic on how to safety conduct visits to nursing home.