President Joe Biden announced that all federally-regulated health care providers that receive Medicare and Medicaid must require employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
Additionally, the president announced that employers with more than 100 employees must require staff to be vaccinated or tested weekly for the virus. This may include many Florida ALFs. He will also sign an executive order to require vaccination for employees of the executive branch and contractors who do business with the federal government.
Last week, CMS announced emergency regulations requiring vaccinations for all staff in nursing homes. Today’s announcement expands the mandate to hospitals, home health, hospice, ambulatory surgical facilities, and other federally-regulated health care organizations.
CMS is in the process of developing an interim final rule with a comment period that will be issued in October. At this point, CMS has not specified a deadline for the vaccinations but expects Medicare and Medicaid facilities to act in the best interests of residents and staff by complying with the mandate.