AUSTIN – The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is expanding visitation statewide Tuesday in nursing facilities and other long-term care settings.
According to federal guidance issued on March 10 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, fully vaccinated nursing facility residents are now allowed close, in-person visits with family members and friends who are not designated essential caregivers, as long as proper safeguards are in place.
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“Safely visiting with family and friends is vital to the mental health and well-being of long-term care residents,” said Victoria Ford, HHS chief policy and regulatory officer. “We are so pleased these new rules will allow residents to enjoy in-person visits with a wider circle of loved ones.”
For nursing facilities, these updated visitation rules give providers additional flexibilities in accordance with the new federal guidelines. While continuing to follow all protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including wearing face masks, Texas nursing facilities can now permit:
- Close/personal contact during any visitation for fully vaccinated residents.
- Outdoor visitation at all facilities, even when the facility has an outbreak.
- Up to two essential caregivers at the same time to visit a resident with any COVID-19 status.
- All visitation without time limits while adhering to infection prevention and control measures.
- End-of-life visits for all residents regardless of their COVID-19 status in all nursing facilities, with an expanded definition of end-of-life visits that now includes all residents receiving hospice services; residents at or near the end of life, with or without hospice services; and residents whose prognosis does not indicate recovery.
Nursing facilities no longer need to do the following:
- Request general visitation approval from HHSC.
- Monitor visits or escort visitors to and from the visitation area.
- Limit indoor visitation to areas with a plexiglass barrier or booth.
- Require documentation of a negative COVID-19 test result for essential caregiver or salon services visitors.
In addition to nursing facilities, HHSC expanded visitation allowed in assisted living facilities, intermediate care facilities, and home and community-based service providers. The new rules also remove certain administrative requirements for providers, such as the rules to have staff monitor certain visits and escort visitors to and from a visiting area.
Click here to view the updated emergency rules for nursing facilities. For more information about how HHSC is helping Texans affected by COVID-19, visit the HHSC website.