documents in the last year, by the Energy Department (iii) Before offering COVID-19 vaccine, each client or the client's representative receives education regarding the benefits and risks and potential side effects associated with the COVID-19 vaccine. The Rule requires health care providers to establish a process or policy to fulfill the staff vaccination requirements over two phases: Phase 1: Requires staff at all health care facilities covered by the regulation to have received, at a minimum, the first dose of a primary series or a single dose COVID-19 vaccine prior to staff providing care, treatment or other services for the facility and/or its patients. But companies may be hesitant to penalize employees for a government edict. Vaccines may be administered onsite or at other appropriate locations. Long-term care facilities, a category that includes Medicare SNFs and Medicaid nursing facilities (NFs), must meet the consolidated Medicare and Medicaid requirements for participation (requirements) for LTC facilities (42 CFR part 483, subpart B) that were first published in the Federal Register on February 2, 1989 (54 FR 5316). In subsequent years, the burden for this activity for each facility would be 6 hours (.5 hour 12 months) at an estimated cost of $402 (6 $67). CMS is seeking public comment on the feasibility of implementing vaccination policies for other Medicare/Medicaid participating shared residences in which one or more people reside such as but not limited to the following: Psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs), psychiatric hospitals, forensic hospitals, adult foster care homes (AFC homes), group homes, assisted living facilities (ALFs), supervised apartments, and inpatient hospice facilities. Table 7Accounting Statement: Classification of Estimated Costs and Savings. Assuming that the average rate of death from COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 infection) at nursing home resident ages and conditions is 5 percent, and the average rate of death after vaccination is essentially zero, the expected life-extending value of each resident receiving the full course of two vaccines who would otherwise be infected is $125 thousand at a 3 percent discount rate and $185 thousand at a 7 percent discount rate. There are also a number of unknowns that may affect current progress or this rule or both. We expect that most if not all LTC facilities will use resources developed by other entities as there is a considerable amount of free information on COVID-19 and vaccines available online. Accessed at https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes119111.htm. There are also ethical Start Printed Page 26335issues related to potential discouragement of visiting volunteers or family members. Assuming that the average life expectancy of long-term care residents is five years, the monetized benefits of saving one statistical life would be about $2.5 million ($540,000 annually for 5 years) at a 3 percent discount rate and about $3.7 million ($900,000 annually for 5 years) at a 7 percent discount rate. 4. V-safe is a new program that differs from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which we discuss in the section I.F. CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program Provider Requirements and Support. corresponding official PDF file on govinfo.gov. Accessed on March 18, 2021. Staff education must cover the benefits and risks or possible side effects of vaccination, which typically include reduced risk of COVID-19 illness, and related serious COVID outcomes, including hospitalization and death, the bolstered protection offered by completing a full series of multi-dose vaccines (if used), and other benefits identified as research and immunization continues. All state health departments and many local health departments already have direct access through NHSN to LTC facilities' COVID-19 data and are using the data for their own local response efforts. We will post acceptable comments from multiple unique commenters even if the content is identical or nearly identical to other comments. While an ICF-IID is unlikely to be a COVID-19 vaccination provider, all vaccinations should be appropriately documented. However, participation in these efforts is not universal and we are concerned that many groups at higher risk of infection, specifically residents and clients of LTC facilities and ICFs-IID, Start Printed Page 26310are not able to access COVID-19 vaccination. This pair of statutes provides the legal grounding for Bidens vaccine-or-test mandates. [34] We note that indications and contraindications for COVID-19 vaccination are evolving, and the director of nursing (DON) or nursing staff of the facility should be alert to any new or revised guidelines issued by CDC, FDA, vaccine manufacturers, and other expert stakeholders.
