Nursing Home Pandemic Protection Act

Bill: 116-s-4846
Sponsor: full_name: Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ]
Introduced: 2020-10-22
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Administrative law and regulatory procedures

Cardiovascular and respiratory health

Department of Health and Human Services

Emergency medical services and trauma care

Government information and archives

Health facilities and institutions

Health information and medical records

Health personnel

Health promotion and preventive care

Health technology, devices, supplies

Infectious and parasitic diseases

Long-term, rehabilitative, and terminal care

Nursing

Worker safety and health
Latest action: action_date: 2020-10-22
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Summaries:
action_date: 2020-10-22
action_desc: Introduced in Senate
text: <p><b>Nursing Home Pandemic Protection Act</b></p> <p>This bill establishes several requirements for skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities to address the outbreak of COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019).</p> <p>Specifically, the bill requires these facilities to establish crisis plans and to maintain at least a 30-day supply of personal protective equipment to respond to the outbreak. The bill also incorporates a memorandum from the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services about new regulations that require skilled nursing facilities and nursing facilities to report COVID-19 cases to residents, families, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the requirements took effect May 8, 2020).</p>

tv_txt: II 116th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 4846 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES October 22 (legislative day, October 19), 2020 Mr. Booker introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance A BILL To establish requirements for skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities to manage the outbreak of COVID–19, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Nursing Home Pandemic Protection Act . 2. Requirements for skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities to manage the outbreak of COVID–19 (a) Codification of memorandum relating to notification requirements of cases of COVID–19 that are confirmed or under investigation in nursing homes The memorandum entitled Upcoming Requirements for Notification of Confirmed COVID–19 (or COVID–19 Persons under Investigation) Among Residents and Staff in Nursing Homes published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on April 19, 2020 shall have the force and effect of law. (b) Crisis plan for such facilities The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall ensure that skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities establish, not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, a crisis plan to manage the outbreak of COVID–19 and other public health emergencies within such facilities. Such plan shall outline procedures relating to infection control, staffing, personal protective equipment, outside medical providers and hospitalizations, and communication with family members. (c) PPE requirements for such facilities (1) In general The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall ensure that skilled nursing facilities, nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities establish, not later than 120 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, a plan to maintain access to a minimum amount of personal protective equipment described in paragraph (2) to manage the outbreak of COVID–19 and other public health emergencies within such facilities. (2) Minimum amount of PPE described For purposes of paragraph (1), a minimum amount of personal protective equipment described in this paragraph is the amount of such equipment for use by the staff and residents of such facilities for a 30-day period. (d) Definitions In this Act: (1) Nursing facility The term nursing facility has the meaning given such term in section 1919(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396r(a) ). (2) Skilled nursing facility The term skilled nursing facility has the meaning given such term in section 1819(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1395i–3(a) ).