In Order by Date
May 11, 2023: QSO 23-15-CLIA – Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of f1988 (CLIA) Post-Public Health Emergency (PHE) Guidance
May 11, 2023: QSO 20-38-NH Testing – Interim Final Rule (IFC), CMS-3401-IFC, Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency related to Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Testing Requirements EXPIRED
May 8, 2023: QSO 20-39-NH Visitation – Nursing Home Visitation – COVID-19 REVISED
May 6, 2023: QSO 20-26-NH Upcoming Requirements for Notification of Confirmed COVID-19 (or COVID-19 Persons under Investigation) Among Residents and Staff in Nursing Homes EXPIRED
May 1, 2023: QSO 23-13-ALLfinal2 Guidance for the Expiration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE)
March 28, 2023: QSO 20-14-NH – Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in nursing homes REVISED
March 10, 2021: QSO 20-30-NH – Nursing Home reopening Recommendations for State and Local Officials EXPIRED
November 22, 2022: QSO 23-03-ALL– The Importance of Timely Use of COVID-19 Therapeutics
September 26, 2022: QSO 21-08-NLTC – COVID-19 Focused Infection Control Survey Tool for Acute and Continuing Care Providers and Suppliers REVISED
September 26, 2022: QSO 22-25-CLIA – CMS Rescinds December 7, 2020, Enforcement Discretion for the Use of SARS-CoV-2 Tests on Asymptomatic Individuals Outside of the Test’s Instructions for Use
September 23, 2022: QSO 20-38-NH – Interim Final Rule (IFC), CMS-3401-IFC, Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency related to Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility Testing Requirements REVISED
August 29, 2022: QSO 22-15-NH & NLTC & LSC– Update to COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Specific Providers REVISED
June 16, 2022: QSO: 22-18-ALL – Rescission of the January 25, 2022 memo regarding Vaccination Expectations for Surveyors Performing Federal Oversight (QSO-22-10-ALL) and removal from its guidance repository
June 14, 2022: QSO: 22-17-ALL-Surveys for compliance with Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination Requirements
May 27, 2022: QSO: 21-03-Hospitals/CAHs -Interim Final Rule (IFC), CMS-3401-IFC; Requirements and Enforcement Process for Reporting of COVID-19 Data Elements for Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals REVISED
May 26, 2022: QSO: 20-41-ALL -Guidance related to Emergency Preparedness – Exercise Exemption based on A Facility’s Activation of their Emergency Plan REVISED
April 15, 2022: QSO 21-10-CLIA – Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) Laboratories Surveyor Guidance for New and Modified CLIA Requirements Related to SARS-CoV-2 Test Result Reporting REVISED
April 5, 2022: QSO 22-09-ALL – Guidance for the Interim Final Rule – Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination REVISED
March 22, 2022: QSO 22-14-CLIA – Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1998 (CLIA) CMS Location and State Agency Updates to COVID-19 Survey Prioritization Guidance
March 10, 2022: QSO 20-39-NH – Nursing Home Visitation – COVID-19 REVISED
March 10, 2022: CMS Nursing Home Visitation Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
March 2022: Toolkit on State Actions to Mitigate COVID-19 Prevalence in Nursing Homes
January 25, 2022: QSO 22-10-ALL – Vaccination Expectations for Surveyors Performing Federal Oversight
January 7, 2022: QSO 22-08-NH – Nursing Home Staff Turnover and Weekend Staffing Levels
December 28, 2021: QSO 22-07-ALL – Guidance for the Interim Final Rule – Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination
December 10, 2021: Mountain Pacific Quality Health – Infection Control Training For You
December 2, 2021: QSO 22-04-ALL– Vaccination Regulation: Enforcement of Rule Imposing Vaccine Requirement for Health Care Staff in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified Providers and Suppliers is Suspended so Long as Court Ordered Injunctions Remain in Effect
December 1, 2021: QSO 22-03-ASC & Hospitals – Ending the Streamlined Process for Ambulatory Surgical Centers and Independent Freestanding Emergency Departments to Temporarily Enroll as Hospitals during COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
November 12, 2021: QSO 22-02-ALL – Changes to COVID-19 Survey Activities and Increased Oversight in Nursing Homes
November 5, 2021: Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination
November 4, 2021: CMS Biden-Harris Administration Issues Emergency Regulation Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for Health Care Workers
August 23, 2021: QSO 21-21-ICF/IID – Interim Final Rule – COVID-19 Vaccine Immunization Requirements for Clients and Staff in Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICFs/IID)
June 21, 2021: QSO 20-41-ALL – Guidance related to Emergency Preparedness- Exercise Exemption based on A Facility’s Activation of their Emergency Plan REVISED
June 3, 2021: QSO 21-14-ICF/IID & PRTF – Visitation at Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICFs/IID) and Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTFs) -Coronavirus Disease -2019 (COVID-19) REVISED
May 24, 2021: COVID-19 Emergency Declaration Blanket Waivers for Health Care Providers
May 11, 2021: QSO 21-19-NH – Interim Final Rule – COVID-19 Vaccine Immunization Requirements for Residents and Staff
April 27, 2021: QSO 20-39-NH – Nursing Home Visitation – COVID-19 REVISED
April 8, 2021: QSO 21-17-NH – Updates to Long-Term Care (LTC) Emergency Regulatory Waivers issued in response to COVID-19
March 26, 2021: QSO 21-16-Hospitals – Resuming Hospital Survey Activities Following 30-day Restrictions
March 26, 2021: QSO 21-15-ALL – Updated Guidance for Emergency Preparedness-Appendix Z of the State Operations Manual (SOM)
March 10, 2021: QSO 20-30-NH – Nursing Home Reopening Recommendations for State and Local Officials EXPIRED
February 18, 2021: QSO 21-13-Hospitals – Hospital Survey Priorities REVISED
January 4, 2021: QSO 20-31-ALL – COVID-19 Survey Activities, CARES Act Funding, Enhanced Enforcement for Infection Control deficiencies, and Quality Improvement Activities in Nursing Homes
December 30, 2020: QSO 21-09-ASC – Providing flexibility for exceeding the 24-hour time frame for patients in Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
December 17, 2020: QSO 21-07-Psych Hospital, PRTF & ICF/IID – COVID-19 Infection Control for Psychiatric and Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICFs/IID)
December 4, 2020: QSO 21-06-NH – Updates to the Nursing Home Compare website and Five Star Quality Rating System
December 4, 2020: QSO 21-05-ESRD– FY2021 Quarter 1/Quarter 2 Dialysis Facility Report (DFR) – Update
CMS Resident Holiday Leave Alert
November 6, 2020: QSO 21-04-CLIA – Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) CMS Locations and State Agency Remote Survey Guidance – Optional Process
October 6, 2020: QSO 21-03-Hospitals/CAHs – Interim Final Rule (IFC), CMS-3401-IFC; Requirements and Enforcement Process for Reporting of COVID-19 Data Elements for Hospitals and Critical Access Hospitals
October 5, 2020: QSO 21-02-NH – Compliance with Residents’ Rights Requirement related to Nursing Home Residents’ Right to Vote
October 5, 2020: QSO 21-01-Hospice – Nursing Shortage as an “Extraordinary Circumstance” per 42 CFR 418.64 Core
September 25, 2020: QSO 20-40-LSC – Categorical Waiver – Corrugated Medical Tubing
August 26, 2020: QSO 20-37-CLIA, NH – Interim Final Rule (IFC), CMS-3401-IFC, Updating Requirements for Reporting of SARS-CoV-2 Test Results by Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) Laboratories, and Additional Policy and Regulatory Revisions in Response to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
August 17, 2020: QSO 20-36-ESRD – Key Components for Continued COVID-19 Management for Dialysis Facilities (Checklist)
August 17, 2020: QSO 20-35-ALL – Enforcement Cases Held during the Prioritization Period and Revised Survey Prioritization
July 16, 2020: PPE Optimization Strategies
July 9, 2020: QSO 20-28-NH – Nursing Home Five Star Quality Rating System updates, Nursing Home Staff Counts, Frequently Asked Questions, and Access to Ombudsman REVISED
June 25, 2020: QSO 20-34-NH – Changes to Staffing Information and Quality Measures Posted on the Nursing Home Compare Website and Five Star Quality Rating System due to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
June 23, 2020: CMS Frequently Asked Questions on Nursing Home Visitation
June 4, 2020: QSO 20-33-NH – Posting of Nursing Home Inspections
June 4, 2020: QSO 20-32-NH – Release of COVID-19 Nursing Home Data
May 6, 2020: QSO 20-29-NH – Interim Final Rule Updating Requirements for Notification of Confirmed and Suspected COVID-19 Cases Among Residents and Staff in Nursing Homes
April 30, 2020: EMTALA Frequently Asked Questions
April 23, 2020: QSO 20-18-HHA – Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention Concerning Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Home Health Agencies (HHAs) and Religious Nonmedical Healthcare Institutions (RNHCIs) REVISED
April 21, 2020: QSO 20-27-Hospital – Guidance for Licensed Independent Freestanding Emergency Departments (EDs) to Participate in Medicare and Medicaid during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
April 19, 2020: QSO 20-26-NH – Upcoming Requirements for Notification of Confirmed COVID-19 (or COVID-19 Persons under investigation) Among Residents and Staff in Nursing Homes
April 13, 2020: QSO 20-25-NH – 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Long-Term Care Facility Transfer Scenarios
April 7, 2020: Non-Emergent, Elective Medical Services, and Treatment Recommendations
April 3, 2020: QSO 20-24-ASC – Guidance for Processing Attestation Statements from Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs) Temporarily Enrolling as Hospitals during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
April 2, 2020: COVID-19 Long-Term Care Facility Guidance
March 30, 2020: QSO 20-15-Hospital/CAH/EMTALA – Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) Requirements and Implications Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) REVISED
March 30, 2020: QSO 20-19-ESRD – Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in dialysis facilities REVISED
March 30, 2020: QSO 20-15-Hospital/CAH/EMTALA – Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) Requirements and Implications Related to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) REVISED
March 30, 2020: QSO 20-13-Hospitals-CAHs – Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Hospitals, Psychiatric Hospitals, and Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs): FAQs, Considerations for Patient Triage, Placement, Limits to Visitation and Availability of 1135 waivers REVISED
March 30, 2020: QSO 20-23-ICF/IID & PRTF – Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Intermediate Care Facilities for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ICF/IIDs) and Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities (PRTFs)
March 30, 2020: QSO 20-22-ASC, CORF, CMHC, OPT, RHC/FQHCs – Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) in Outpatient Settings: FAQs and Considerations
March 26, 2020: QSO 20-21-CLIA – Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Laboratory Guidance During COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
March 23, 2020: QSO 20-20-ALL – Prioritization of Survey Activities
March 10, 2020: QSO 20-17-ALL – Guidance for Use of Certain Industrial Respirators
March 9, 2020: QSO 20-16-Hospice – Guidance for Infection Control and Prevention of Coronavirus Disease 2019
March 4, 2020: QSO 20-12-ALL – Suspension of Survey Activities
February 6, 2020: QSO 20-10-CLIA – Notification to Surveyors of the Authorization for Emergency Use of the CDC 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Real-Time RT-PCR Diagnostic Panel Assay and Guidance for use in CDC Qualified Laboratories
February 6, 2020: QSO 20-09-ALL – CMS Information for Healthcare Facilities Concerning 2019 Novel Coronavirus Illness (2019-nCoV)