Policy Updates

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made fiscal year 2026 Early Look Performance Score Reports for the Skilled Nursing Facility Value-Based Purchasing (SNF VBP) Program available to download via the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES). For additional information, a fact sheet, and user guide, visit the website.

On April 18, the World Health Organization issued a global consultation report updating terminology for pathogens that transmit through the air. Access the press release. Access the report.

NIOSH posted a notice from Dräger Safety AG & Company, KGaA to alert users that multiple batches of 6738020 Particle filter N95 pads and 6738021 Particle filter R95 pads were manufactured a few millimeters too small and will not fit properly resulting in reduced filter performance. Read the Dräger notice.

APIC provided comments this week to CMS on a proposed rule to strengthen oversight of Accrediting Organizations. APIC also responded to a CDC proposal to expand the number of fungal diseases for which data may be collected.

CDC issued a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory with recommendations for identification, investigations, and response following a recently confirmed human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus resulting from exposure to infected dairy cattle. The CDC website now features a new page dedicated to the current situation on HPAI A(H5N1) virus (“H5N1 … Continued

CDC reported the first human infection in the U.S. this year with an influenza A(H1N2) variant virus that normally spreads in pigs, not humans. The infection occurred in a person in Pennsylvania who had contact with pigs. No person-to-person transmission has been identified. Read more.

NIOSH reported that Fido Mask Co, Ltd posted a notice to make users aware that N95 filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) were manufactured and sold by Mechanix Wear with an unapproved respirator design color-change (to blue). Mechanix Wear LLC MSK-N95 FFR with NIOSH-approval TC-84A-7792 is not approved and should not be used. Read the Fido customer … Continued

NIOSH has honored a request by Aswan International Corp. to voluntarily rescind nine NIOSH respirator approvals. As of April 1, 2024, any respirator marked with one of the following NIOSH approval numbers is no longer NIOSH approved and may not be used, manufactured, assembled, sold, or distributed: 84A-5628, 84A-5638, 84A-6248, 84A-6249, 84A-6250, 84A-6264, 84A-6758, 84A-6804, 84A-6849. … Continued

Pending a NIOSH-requested quality management analysis of its manufacturing site, Champak Enterprise Co., Ltd has voluntarily issued a temporary stop sale of all NIOSH-approved respirators. Impacted models are: AP520M, AP520L, AP520VM, AP520VL, AP521VM, AP521VL, AP522VL. Read the Champak customer notice.