Missouri nursing homes allowed to close temporarily if short-staffed due to COVID-19 vaccine requirements

In an effort to help Missouri nursing homes in the case of being short-staffed, the Missouri Health Department has implemented an emergency rule that would allow nursing homes to close for extended periods of time and then reopen without having to restart the licensing procedure, according to U.S. News and World Report.

The rule was published by the Department of Health and Senior Services last week, and it allows nursing and intermediate care facilities to close for as much as two years if they are short-staffed due to the vaccine requirement. This was in response to the Biden Administration’s mandate for health care workers to have a COVID-19 vaccination.

“According to data on CMS’ (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) website, current vaccination rates for nursing facility staff in Missouri as of Oct. 31 was 56.71%,” Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Communication Director Lisa Cox wrote in an email. “CMS has stated facilities that are out of compliance will be cited and provided an opportunity to return to compliance. If they are not, CMS may use enforcement remedies, such as civil monetary penalties, denial of payment and even termination from the Medicare and Medicaid program as a final measure.”

Cox said that facilities may not have any other option than to close temporarily if workers are not vaccinated or if they cannot hire vaccinated employees. She said she hopes the emergency rule will not be necessary but it is there out of “an abundance of caution.”

“DHSS wanted to be prepared and have the flexibility to allow homes to temporarily close until they safely resume operation,” Cox said.

Nikki Strong of the Missouri Health Care Association said there is strong hesitancy about the vaccine in the state, especially in rural communities.

“Our facilities have done everything to try to convince people to take the vaccine, she said.

The vaccination rule issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services last week requires vaccinations for more than 17 million workers in 76,000 health care facilities and home health care providers. Staff need to get their first vaccination shot by Dec. 6 and be fully vaccinated by Jan. 4 unless they have a religious or medical exemption.