NORFOLK, Va. — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will now require long-term care facilities to report detailed COVID-19 data, and it plans to share it publicly by the end of May.
This data includes suspected and confirmed infections among residents and staff, total deaths in the facility, testing access and staffing shortages.
CMS says it will post this information to “protect the health and safety of residents, personnel, and the general public.”
This decision will overrule many state health departments, many of which have refused to release coronavirus figures by facility, citing privacy laws. It's welcome news for seniors and families who are seeking information about coronavirus outbreaks in specific assisted living facilities.
In Virginia, about 60 percent of all deaths have occurred in long-term care facility outbreaks. In North Carolina, about 59 percent of all coronavirus deaths are tied to nursing homes or residential care facilities.
These death rates are higher than most other states across the country.
The Virginia Health Care Association, an advocacy group for long-term care providers, says it “supports transparency and open communication” and it has provided members with detailed information to help fulfill the new CMS requirements.
Virginia AARP Director Jim Dau said in a statement: "Families have a right to know if their loved one is living in a facility with a coronavirus outbreak.”
Dau also said he supports changing Virginia law so state agencies can publish COVID-19 data about cases and deaths in specific long-term care facilities.
In its statement, VHCA adds that some long-term care facilities have completed widespread testing while others haven't, and some are accepting seniors who are recovering from the virus while others are not.
The VHCA spokesperson said this context will be important in analyzing the CMS data once it's released.
"There is no doubt that COVID-19 is taking a toll on nursing home and assisted living residents and the dedicated staff providing care, yet we remain committed to turning this pandemic around," said the VHCA in a statement.