For many families, restrictions on visits to their loved ones who live in assisted living facilities and nursing homes has been devastating. Today, the federal agency which oversees Medicare and Medicaid programs issued updated guidance to nursing homes.
The federal government has finally recognized that the cure may be worse than the disease, and is acknowledging how much painful family separation its prior guidance has caused, and it has changed its recommendations to nursing homes throughout the country.
The government agency is now recommending facilities allow visitation to residents who have not yet been vaccinated if the COVID-19 positivity rate in the county where the facility is located is less than 10%, and if more than 70% of the residents in the facility have been vaccinated.
Equally important, the government agency has said that facilities that have COVID-19 outbreaks can still allow residents who do not have COVID-19, and have not been exposed to it, to be visited by their families. Facilities are allowed to suspend visitation while all residents are tested for COVID-19, but after all cases have been identified, and contained, visitation can resume even if there are individuals infected with COVID-19 present in the facility.
Finally, the government agency has said that visitors should not be required to have a negative COVID-19 test or a COVID-19 vaccination to visit their families.
If your loved one is in a nursing home or assisted living that will not let you visit indoors without proof of a negative COVID-19 test or a vaccination, call Fredrick P. Niemann, Esq. toll-free at (855) 376-5291 or email him at fniemann@hnlawfirm.com.