November 4, 2021
Good afternoon,
Below the dotted line please find information pertaining to today’s announcements regarding the two draft rules issued by the CMS and the OSHA. I also sent an FAQ re: the CMS mandate under separate cover.
Note: Although the notice says you must register by noon today, I just tried to register for the 2:00 webinar and it appears you can still join the call if you hurry and complete your registration now.
Finally, as promised I did check in a few moments ago with our colleagues at the National Council on the question of whether they think the term ‘healthcare facilities’ includes community-based mental health and/or addiction organizations (when I asked the question I also sent the paragraph that appears in one of the CMS Press Releases that lists the types of healthcare entities that would be covered by the CMS mandate). The response was that they do not think it does cover community-based MH and SUD organizations BUT (hopefully) this issue will be resolved during the virtual briefing today at 2:00. Stand by.
L.
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This morning the Biden Administration released two new draft rules, from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), to protect workers from the coronavirus and require COVID-19 vaccination for health care workers. The rules are a combined 704 pages long.
See below and at the links below for the CMS and OSHA press releases and rules. The draft rules are also attached.
This afternoon, at 2:00 pm ET, CMS will hold a virtual briefing with John Blum, CMS’s Principal Deputy Administrator, and Dr. Lee Fleisher, Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, on the CMS rule.
- When: Thursday, November 4, 2021 2:00 pm–3:00 pm ET
- For more details, including registration, please see this link – https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_7IlEgLznTIm3sqAsv3nHZw
CMS press release – “Biden-Harris Administration Issues Emergency Regulation Requiring COVID-19 Vaccination for Health Care Workers’ – https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-issues-emergency-regulation-requiring-covid-19-vaccination-health-care
CMS rule – “Medicare and Medicaid Programs: Omnibus COVID-19 Health Care Staff Vaccination” – https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2021-23831/medicare-and-medicaid-programs-omnibus-covid-19-health-care-staff-vaccination
OSHA press release – “US Department of Labor issues emergency temporary standard to protect workers from coronavirus” https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/national/11042021
OHSA rule – “COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing; Emergency Temporary Standard” – www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2021-23643/…