WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is getting pushback from hospitals and criticism from nursing homes after issuing new COVID-19 requirements backed by threats of funding cuts and fines.
To check the spread of the coronavirus in nursing homes, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced it will require facilities to test staff regularly or face fines.
Officials also issued a new reporting mandate for hospitals.
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It included a thinly veiled threat to cut off Medicare and Medicaid funds to facilities that fail to send in certain COVID-19 data daily to the federal Health and Human Services department.
On Wednesday, Florida's Task Force on the Safe and Limited Reopening of Long-Term Care Facilities will meet at 11 a.m. to discuss statewide visitation recommendations.
The agenda lists three discussion topics: General visitation social distancing requirements, residents leaving the facility, and health care provider services within the facility.
↓ The latest date on COVID-19 in Florida's long term care facilities ↓