Since approximately 86% of nursing home residents and 74% of staff at those facilities in the United States are vaccinated[1], the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has revised its COVID-19 nursing home visitation guidelines.[2] The Center for Medicare Advocacy is committed to ensuring that the rights of older adults and people with disabilities are protected and known. We have updated the visitation Fact Sheet to outline CMS’s latest guidance, which firmly outlines that “visitation is now allowed for all residents at all times.”[3] In the event that a nursing home refuses to allow visitation, this Fact Sheet could be used to help residents and their visitors navigate their rights.
[1] CMS. COVID-19 Nursing Home Data. Updated Nov. 14, 2021). Available at: https://data.cms.gov/covid-19/covid-19-nursing-home-data
[2] The Center for Medicare Advocacy originally reported the CMS’s revised visitation guidelines on November 18, 2021. It is available here.
[3] CMS. Nursing Home Visitation – COVID-19 (REVISED). Available at: https://www.cms.gov/files/document/qso-20-39-nh-revised.pdf