COVID-19 FAQ for Home Care and Hospice Providers

LeadingAge NY members are encouraged to review the long-awaited Department of Health (DOH) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for home care and hospice providers that relaxes restrictions in place since the onset of COVID-19.

The FAQ recommends masking in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations, as is required for other health care providers, including when health care personnel are working with individuals suspected or confirmed to have COVID-19 or have had close contact with infected individuals, in a setting in outbreak status, with immunocompromised individuals, or when source control is recommended by local authorities.

The document reiterates the mask requirement for those not vaccinated with the influenza vaccination when influenza is deemed prevalent.

It also provides agencies the discretion to allow for active or passive screening of staff and how to do so, as well as reiterates the fact that the State vaccination mandate is no longer in effect.

HERDS Reporting Now Has Fewer Questions

Starting Nov. 21^st, DOH has revised the weekly Health Electronic Response Data System (HERDS) reporting for licensed home care services agencies (LHCSAs), certified home health agencies (CHHAs), and hospices. No questions have been revised on the reports, but several have been eliminated.

Moving forward:

• Hospice questions – move from 39 questions to 9
• CHHA questions – move from 42 to 13
• LHCSA questions – move from 39 to 13

The DOH Office of Aging and Long-Term Care (OALTC) hosted a webinar to provide home care and hospice providers with information about the HERDS changes. LeadingAge NY will obtain a recording of the resource when it becomes available.

Contact: Meg Everett, meverett@leadingageny.org, 518-867-8871